Shaping the future of science publishing: The evolution of metrics

Traditional ways of measuring the impact of scientists and their work have undergone rapid evolution in the age of online technology and social media. The long-term emphasis on journal–level metrics like the Impact Factor has shifted to article-level metrics and author-level metrics − more direct measures of the impact of individual articles and the cumulative impact of a researcher’s work.

Authors of articles published in the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine (JSCM) have access to their article-level metrics at Taylor & Francis Online.¹ Data from Web of Science, CrossRef, and Scopus provide the number of times an article is downloaded, and the number of times it is cited. Many publisher platforms monitor these metrics, as does Google Scholar, although data will differ depending on the criteria for capturing citations, and what types of sources are surveilled.

Linked to each online article is that article’s Altmetrics Attention Score, a tool that tallies and scores mentions in professional and consumer online media, including social media channels, blogs, public policy documents, and peer review forums. This service of Altmetrics LLP monitors the interest being generated in a specific article, and provides the details of that coverage, bringing article-level metrics to a new level.

In issue 3 of 2017, our Editor’s Notes addressed ways that authors can maximize the impact of spinal cord injury research.² Review of JSCM’s article-level metrics for 2017 revealed a good example how use of traditional and new media contributed to the impact of SCI research.

Fourth among the TopTen Downloads is Ramanujam A, et al. “Neuromechanical adaptations during a robotic-powered exoskeleton-assisted walking session,” published online on April 20, 2017.³ Most notably, in terms of its Altmetrics, this article is not only number one for 2017, but with a score of 424, it tops all 607 scored articles published by JSCM.

A deeper look into the score components was revealing. A national press release by the press office of the research institution received broad media attention, and this research news was disseminated internationally via the social media channels of Taylor & Francis, JSCM, the Academy of SCI Professionals, and the authors’ affiliations. Via the Altmetrics feature, authors and their communications team can see where the interest lies, and followup with interested researchers and media outlets, generating more interest and potential for collaborations.

As metrics continue to evolve, the potential for disseminating research will expand. Authors can greatly enhance their outreach by leveraging the capabilities of their publisher and their institution’s communications team.