Product Overview of Altmetric
Altmetric is a comprehensive platform designed to track and analyze the online attention and impact of research outputs, such as scholarly articles, data sets, and other research materials. Here’s a detailed look at what Altmetric does and its key features.
What Altmetric Does
Altmetric goes beyond traditional citation analysis by monitoring and aggregating online mentions of research from a wide range of sources. This includes social media platforms like X and Facebook, traditional media outlets such as The Guardian and New York Times, blogs, online reference managers like Mendeley and CiteULike, policy documents, and even Wikipedia entries.
Key Features and Functionality
Altmetric Explorer
The core tool of Altmetric is the Altmetric Explorer, which automates the process of tracking online mentions and collates them into a single, intuitive platform. This allows users to uncover the broader story behind published research, including its influence on various communities worldwide.
Data Collection and Disambiguation
Altmetric collects data from thousands of online sources and uses unique identifiers to precisely match online attention to specific research outputs. This ensures accurate and reliable data by cross-checking and matching multiple identifiers.
User-Friendly Interface
The platform features a user-friendly interface with visualizations that provide at-a-glance insights. Users can view data in various formats, including Highlights, Research Outputs, Timeline, Demographics, Mentions, and Journals. Powerful search filters enable users to locate data by keyword, DOI, ISBN, timeframes, and other criteria.
Altmetric Attention Score
Altmetric provides a quantitative measure of the quality and quantity of attention through the Altmetric Attention Score. This score is visualized in a colored circle (or badge) that indicates the sources of the mentions, such as mainstream news outlets, social media, or blogs.
Interoperability and Integration
The platform is interoperable with various systems via its API, supporting popular Single Sign-On (SSO) methods. This allows seamless integration with existing systems, such as Current Research Information Systems (CRIS) and repositories, to bring relevant data directly into the Altmetric Explorer.
Customizable Reports and Data Export
Users can create and export shareable reports to evidence results or justify proposals. Data can be exported via CSV or API for internal audits and reports, making it easy to present impactful metrics, such as the Altmetric Attention Score.
Additional Solutions
- Altmetric for Books: Monitors outreach efforts and showcases the influence of book publications.
- Altmetric Badges: Embedded badges that reveal where publications are being discussed online.
- Altmetric API: Provides up-to-date programmatic data for integration into other systems.
- Altmetric Consultancy: Offers expert help in monitoring the influence of research in both scholarly and public realms.
- Altmetric on GBQ: Enables running multiple complex queries to extract full value from the data.
Benefits
Altmetric transforms how research influence is evaluated by moving beyond traditional citations. It provides a comprehensive view of how research is received and discussed online, allowing researchers, institutions, and funders to demonstrate the broader impact of their work. This is particularly useful for grant applications, internal audits, and showcasing the outreach and influence of research outputs.