Impactstory - Detailed Review
Research Tools
Impactstory - Detailed Review Contents
Add a header to begin generating the table of contents
Impactstory - Product Overview
Introduction to ImpactStory
ImpactStory is a research tool that helps scholars and researchers track and communicate the impact of their work. Here’s a breakdown of its primary function, target audience, and key features:Primary Function
ImpactStory’s main purpose is to aggregate and analyze data from various web APIs to show where and how a researcher’s work is making an impact. It categorizes impacts along two dimensions: the audience (scholars or the public) and the type of engagement with the research (view, discuss, save, cite, and recommend).Target Audience
The primary target audience for ImpactStory includes researchers, scholars, and academics who want to measure and showcase the impact of their scholarly products such as articles, software, presentations, and datasets.Key Features
Data Aggregation and Analysis
ImpactStory collects data from over a dozen web APIs to provide a comprehensive view of how research is being engaged with. This includes metrics such as views, discussions, saves, citations, and recommendations.Badges and Normalization
The platform uses badges to highlight significant impacts, such as “highly saved by scholars,” and normalizes these metrics against a baseline to provide percentile scores. For example, it compares the performance of an article against all articles indexed in Web of Science for a given year.Viewership Stats
ImpactStory provides detailed viewership statistics for research products, including how many people are reading, citing, and discussing the work. This helps researchers understand the real-time impact of their research.Multi-Product Support
The platform supports various types of scholarly products, including articles, software on GitHub, presentations on SlideShare, datasets on Dryad, and videos from Vimeo and YouTube. It allows researchers to upload and share these products directly on the platform.User-Friendly Interface
ImpactStory makes it easy for researchers to share their work and track its impact without requiring readers to create an account. This open approach helps in maximizing the visibility and accessibility of the research. By using ImpactStory, researchers can effectively communicate the value and impact of their work, making it easier to share and track their scholarly contributions. Impactstory - User Interface and Experience
User Interface of Impactstory
The user interface of Impactstory, a platform aimed at helping researchers manage and showcase their work, is designed with several key features to enhance ease of use and overall user experience.
Ease of Use
Impactstory has implemented various features to make it easy for researchers to keep their profiles up-to-date. For instance, the platform allows users to import their research products quickly from third-party sites like Figshare and ORCID, reducing the lag time between when new products are added and when they appear on Impactstory.
Users can also update their profiles through simple methods such as emailing links or citations, or even tweeting with specific hashtags and links to new products. This flexibility ensures that maintaining an updated profile is as hassle-free as possible.
Customizable Profile
The interface is highly customizable, allowing users to prioritize and choose what content is displayed on their profile. This includes the ability to feature specific papers or products, add a bio section, research interests section, and integrate their blog. Users can also use widgets, similar to those in WordPress, to personalize their profile further.
Content Sharing and Viewing
Impactstory enables researchers to share their articles, slides, videos, and other research products directly on the platform. This feature allows others to view and read the work right on Impactstory, making it a comprehensive space for both sharing research and tracking its impact. For example, PDFs of OA publications are automatically embedded, and other types of content like GitHub repos, Figshare images, and videos from Vimeo and YouTube are also integrated into the profile.
Metrics and Analytics
The platform provides viewership stats for each research product, allowing users to track how many people are viewing, reading, and interacting with their work. This includes metrics such as page views and download counts, which help researchers gauge the impact of their work more accurately.
User Feedback and Improvement
Impactstory actively seeks user feedback to improve the platform. The team encourages users to provide input on new features, bugs, and overall user experience. This feedback loop helps in making data-driven decisions to enhance the platform continuously.
Conclusion
In summary, Impactstory’s user interface is designed to be user-friendly, allowing researchers to easily manage and showcase their work, track its impact, and customize their profiles according to their needs. The platform’s focus on simplicity, customization, and user feedback ensures a positive and engaging user experience.
Impactstory - Key Features and Functionality
Impactstory Overview
Impactstory, a tool developed by OurResearch, is designed to help researchers manage and showcase their academic and research profiles more effectively. Here are the key features and how they work, including the integration of AI and other technologies:Automated Profile Updates
Impactstory aims to keep your profile up-to-date with minimal effort from you. This is achieved through several methods:- Faster Sampling of Third-Party Sites: Impactstory increases the speed at which it samples sites like Figshare and ORCID, reducing the lag between when new content is added and when it appears on your Impactstory profile.
- Manual Updates via Email or Twitter: You can update your profile by emailing a link or citation to a new product or by tweeting at Impactstory with specific hashtags and links.
Direct Upload of Open Access Versions of Papers
Researchers can upload Open Access (OA) versions of their papers directly to Impactstory. This feature allows for the tracking of pageview and download counts, which can be challenging to monitor on personal websites. While it does not provide permanent IDs like DOIs or full-scale archival preservation, these are considerations for future improvements.Customizable Profile Appearance
Impactstory allows you to customize your profile’s appearance, enabling you to prioritize content and choose what is visible. This includes:- Widgets: Similar to WordPress widgets, these can feature a paper or product you’re proud of, along with its metrics. Other widgets include a bio section, research interests section, and integration with your blog.
- Profile Badges: These badges are reformatted to include actual metrics, percentile information, and other relevant details.
Integration with ORCID and Other Services
Impactstory has enhanced integration with ORCID, allowing for sync-on-demand and simplifying profile creation. Profiles are now created only via ORCID, and the system only deals in DOIs, making the process faster and more reliable.Altmetrics and Engagement Tracking
Impactstory uses altmetrics to track the impact of your research. This includes a three-part score that helps you monitor your buzz, engagement, and openness. The system provides weekly notification emails that keep you informed about your research’s performance.Mobile Support and Streamlined Features
The platform is fully supported on mobile devices, and features have been streamlined to eliminate little-used options, focusing on what users find most valuable. This makes the platform faster and more user-friendly.AI and Automation
While the specific AI-driven features of Impactstory are not extensively detailed, the platform’s automation and integration with other services (like ORCID and Figshare) suggest a reliance on automated processes to keep profiles updated and to analyze engagement metrics. However, the primary focus of Impactstory’s automation is on simplifying the process of maintaining an up-to-date research profile rather than on advanced AI analytics.Conclusion
In summary, Impactstory leverages automation and integration with external services to make managing a research profile easier and more accurate, though it does not heavily emphasize advanced AI-driven analytics compared to other tools in the research and social impact sectors. Impactstory - Performance and Accuracy
Evaluation of Impactstory’s Performance and Accuracy
To evaluate the performance and accuracy of Impactstory, a research tool that uses AI to analyze and present research impact, we need to consider several key aspects, although the provided sources do not specifically discuss Impactstory.Data Accuracy and Reliability
Impactstory’s accuracy depends on the quality and reliability of the data it processes. If the tool relies on automated methods to gather and analyze data, any inaccuracies or biases in the data collection process can affect its performance. For instance, if the data sources are incomplete, outdated, or biased, the tool’s output will reflect these limitations.Evaluation Metrics
The tool’s performance should be evaluated against clear and relevant metrics. In the context of research impact, metrics such as citation counts, altmetrics (e.g., social media mentions, downloads), and other indicators of research reach and influence are crucial. However, as seen in the context of NLP evaluations, the choice of metrics can significantly impact the results. For example, changing the evaluation metric from one type of score to another (e.g., from F1 to exact matching) can lead to substantial differences in performance assessments.User Engagement
Engagement is a critical factor in the effectiveness of any tool. Impactstory needs to be user-friendly and provide insights that are meaningful and actionable for researchers. If the tool is cumbersome to use or does not provide clear, interpretable results, user engagement will suffer.Limitations and Areas for Improvement
Data Features and Distribution
Similar to the issues highlighted in NLP evaluations, the distribution of data can significantly affect the performance and accuracy of Impactstory. Factors such as the diversity of data sources, the presence of noise or biases, and the consistency of data features across different datasets can all impact the tool’s reliability.Validation and Verification
To ensure accuracy, Impactstory should incorporate mechanisms for validating and verifying the data it presents. This could involve comparing the tool’s outputs with independently verifiable data points, such as actual citation counts or other measurable outcomes.User Feedback and Iteration
Continuous improvement based on user feedback is essential. Impactstory should have a mechanism for users to report inaccuracies or suggest improvements, which can then be integrated into the tool to enhance its performance and accuracy over time.Conclusion
While specific details about Impactstory’s performance and accuracy are not available from the provided sources, it is clear that any AI-driven research tool must prioritize data quality, use relevant and consistent evaluation metrics, ensure user engagement, and continuously validate and improve its outputs. By addressing these areas, Impactstory can enhance its reliability and usefulness for researchers. Impactstory - Pricing and Plans
Pricing Structure of Impactstory
Subscription Model
Impactstory operates on a subscription-based model, but the details are relatively straightforward.Free Trial
Impactstory offers a free 30-day trial. This trial allows users to set up their profile, import their research products, and explore the metrics and features without any initial cost.Subscription Plans
After the free trial, users can opt for a paid subscription. Here are the details:- Annual Subscription: $60 per year
- Monthly Subscription: $10 per month
Features
Here are some of the features available in the paid subscription plans:- Profile Setup: Users can set up a comprehensive impact profile that includes their research articles, slides, videos, and other scholarly products.
- Auto-Import: Impactstory allows users to connect their accounts from various services like Figshare, ORCID, GitHub, Publons, Slideshare, and Twitter, which auto-imports their public products and metrics.
- Metrics and Notifications: Users receive weekly updates on their metrics, including views, downloads, and other engagement metrics. They also get notification emails highlighting their top metrics and milestones.
Fee Waivers
For individuals who cannot afford the subscription, Impactstory offers fee waivers. There are no tiered plans or additional features beyond the basic subscription model mentioned in the available resources. If you need more detailed or specific features, it might be best to contact Impactstory directly for further information. Impactstory - Integration and Compatibility
Impactstory Overview
Impactstory, a not-for-profit web-based service, integrates seamlessly with a variety of tools and platforms to help researchers track the impact of their work. Here’s a breakdown of its integration and compatibility:Connecting to Third-Party Services
Impactstory allows researchers to connect their accounts from several third-party services. This includes Figshare, ORCID, GitHub, Publons, Slideshare, and Twitter. By connecting these accounts, researchers can automatically import their publications, software, data, and other scholarly products into their Impactstory profile. For example, to connect Figshare, you simply need to paste your Figshare author page URL into the appropriate field on Impactstory, enabling automatic imports and weekly updates of new products and metrics.Importing Publications and Data
Researchers can import their publications and other scholarly products from various sources such as Google Scholar, ORCID, and more. This can be done by entering identifiers like PMIDs, DOIs, or URLs. Impactstory also supports importing citations and other data from these sources, making it a comprehensive platform for tracking research impact.Sharing and Embedding Content
Impactstory allows researchers to share their actual research products directly on the platform. This includes articles, slides, videos, and even GitHub repositories. For most Open Access (OA) publications, Impactstory automatically embeds the PDFs, and it also supports embedding README files from GitHub, images from Figshare, and videos from Vimeo and YouTube.Tracking Metrics and Impact
The platform tracks various metrics such as citations, saves, views, and discussions from sources like Scopus, Mendeley, PLOS, Twitter, and Figshare. It also provides geographical distribution data of the impact of the research, giving a clear picture of how the work is being used globally.Compatibility and Accessibility
Impactstory profiles can be viewed openly on the web, although the site itself cannot be searched by author or publication title. The platform is accessible across different devices and browsers, making it convenient for researchers to manage and share their work from anywhere.Partnerships and Integrations
Impactstory has partnerships with other significant players in the research community. For instance, Clarivate Analytics has partnered with Impactstory to provide Open Access indicators in the Web of Science, enabling the identification of trusted OA content through the oaDOI web service and the Unpaywall browser plug-in.Conclusion
In summary, Impactstory’s integration with various tools and services, along with its ability to track and display a wide range of research metrics, makes it a valuable resource for researchers looking to showcase and monitor the impact of their work. Its compatibility across different platforms ensures ease of use and accessibility. Impactstory - Customer Support and Resources
Customer Support Options and Additional Resources for Impactstory
Registration and Profile Management
To use Impactstory, researchers need to register using their ORCID identifier. This process is straightforward and necessary for creating a profile where they can upload and track their publications.Data Import and Tracking
Users can import citations and other data from various sources such as Google Scholar, ORCID, Figshare, GitHub, and Slideshare. Impactstory tracks citations, saves, views, and discussions from multiple platforms including Scopus, Mendeley, PLOS, Twitter, and Figshare.Altmetrics and Impact Visualization
Impactstory provides altmetrics, which include data on how research is being used and discussed across different platforms. Users can view the geographical distribution of the impact of their research, giving a clear picture of where their work is making an impact.Additional Resources
Depsy
This is a tool integrated into Impactstory that measures the impact of research software. It tracks the reuse of GitHub repositories and assigns credit to multiple authors based on their contributions. Depsy is freely available for research software contributors to search their packages or personal names.Sample Profiles
Users can view example profiles on the Impactstory site to understand how the service works and what kind of data is tracked.Support and Contact
While the website does not explicitly mention dedicated customer support channels like phone numbers or live chat, users can contact the service through email for any inquiries or issues. For example, the University College London’s library services page on Impactstory suggests contacting them via email for more information. In summary, Impactstory provides a range of tools and resources to help researchers track and visualize the impact of their work, but it does not offer extensive customer support options beyond email contact. Impactstory - Pros and Cons
Advantages
Comprehensive Sharing Platform
Impactstory allows researchers to share a wide range of their work, including articles, slides, videos, and more, directly on the platform. This makes it easier for others to view and engage with the research without needing to create an account.
Integrated Viewership Stats
The platform provides viewership statistics, enabling researchers to track how often their work is being read, in addition to other engagement metrics like citations and discussions.
Interoperability
Impactstory supports the automatic embedding of various types of research products, such as GitHub repositories, Figshare images, and videos from Vimeo and YouTube. This enhances the visibility and accessibility of the research.
Personal Branding
By hosting research on Impactstory, researchers can present their work under their own brand, rather than that of a journal or institution. This helps in telling a fuller impact story of their research.
Open Access
Unlike some other platforms, Impactstory does not require readers to create an account to access the shared research, making it more open and accessible.
Disadvantages
Limited Preservation Strategy
Currently, Impactstory does not have a comprehensive preservation strategy, such as persistent IDs or CLOCKSS, which could be a concern for long-term access to the research.
No Integration with Other Tools
There is no mention of Impactstory integrating with other research tools or platforms, which might limit its utility for researchers who use multiple tools in their workflow.
Potential for Bugs
As with any new feature rollout, there may be bugs or issues that need to be addressed, which could affect the user experience.
Overall, Impactstory offers a convenient and open platform for sharing and tracking the impact of research, but it may lack some of the advanced features or integrations that other tools provide.
Impactstory - Comparison with Competitors
Unique Features of Impactstory
- Altmetrics Tracking: Impactstory is notable for its ability to track citations, saves, views, and discussions from various sources such as Scopus, Mendeley, PLOS, Twitter, and Figshare. This provides a comprehensive view of the impact of research beyond traditional citation metrics.
- Geographical Distribution: It offers a geographical distribution of the impact of research, giving users insight into where their work is being accessed and discussed.
- Free and Open Source: Unlike some other tools, Impactstory is free to use and open source, making it accessible to a wide range of researchers. It has simplified its features and made profile creation quicker, especially with the integration of ORCID and the use of DOIs.
- Get The Research: Impactstory is also developing a tool called “Get The Research,” aimed at making scholarly articles more accessible to the general public. This tool uses AI to explain difficult jargon and provide context, making academic literature more understandable.
Potential Alternatives
Consensus
- AI-Powered Summaries: Consensus is an AI-driven academic search engine that provides precise summaries and a Consensus Meter to show the degree of agreement among studies on a particular topic. It filters results by study design, sample size, and methodology, which is particularly useful for literature reviews.
- Large Database Access: Consensus accesses over 200 million peer-reviewed papers, offering a vast resource for researchers.
- Unlike Impactstory, Consensus focuses more on summarizing and analyzing the content of research papers rather than tracking the impact and engagement metrics.
Connected Papers
- Literature Mapping: Connected Papers generates visual literature maps to help researchers explore related articles and trace the development of ideas in a field. It is free for up to 5 graphs a month, with an academic subscription offering unlimited use.
- Unlike Impactstory, Connected Papers is more focused on visualizing the connections between papers rather than tracking altmetrics.
Elicit
- Research Assistant: Elicit is an AI research assistant that helps users optimize database searching by suggesting related questions, subject headings, and keywords. It is free with a sign-up and offers a Pro subscription for extended usage.
- Unlike Impactstory, Elicit is more geared towards assisting in the search and discovery phase of research rather than tracking the impact of published work.
LitMaps
- Visual Literature Maps: LitMaps uses a single relevant paper to locate other articles of interest and generate a visual literature map. It is free for limited searches and data visualizations, with a Pro subscription offering unlimited use.
- Unlike Impactstory, LitMaps focuses on creating visual maps of literature rather than tracking engagement and impact metrics.
Each of these tools serves different needs within the research process. While Impactstory excels in tracking the broader impact and engagement of research, tools like Consensus, Connected Papers, Elicit, and LitMaps offer specialized functionalities that can complement or replace certain aspects of what Impactstory provides.
Impactstory - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about Impactstory
What is Impactstory and what does it do?
Impactstory is a not-for-profit, web-based service that helps researchers track the impact of their work. It creates a researcher profile and monitors various metrics such as citations, saves, views, and discussions from sources like Scopus, Mendeley, PLOS, Twitter, and Figshare. It also allows researchers to share their articles, slides, videos, and other research products directly on the platform.How do I create an Impactstory profile and upload my publications?
To create an Impactstory profile, you can import citations and other data from sources like Google Scholar, ORCID, Figshare, GitHub, and Slideshare. Alternatively, you can enter a PMID, digital object identifier (DOI), or URL to add your publications. This process helps you build a comprehensive profile of your research outputs.What types of research products can I share on Impactstory?
Impactstory supports a wide range of research products, including articles, slides, videos, GitHub repositories, Figshare images, and more. You can upload preprints, and for many open-access publications, the PDFs are automatically embedded. This makes it easy to share your actual research work, not just the metrics associated with it.How does Impactstory track the impact of my research?
Impactstory tracks various metrics such as citations, saves, views, and discussions from multiple sources. It also provides viewership stats for your research products, so you can see how many people are reading your work. Additionally, it offers a geographical distribution of the impact of your research, giving you a broader view of where your work is being accessed and discussed.Is Impactstory free to use?
Impactstory offers a 30-day free trial. After the trial period, there is a charge for continued use. However, the platform is open source, which allows for community involvement and development.Can anyone view my Impactstory profile?
Yes, your Impactstory profile can be viewed openly on the web. However, the site cannot be searched by author or publication title, so it is not easily discoverable unless you share the link directly.What is the “Get The Research” tool by Impactstory?
“Get The Research” is a tool aimed at making scholarly research more accessible to the general public. It uses the Unpaywall index of 20 million open-access articles and features AI-powered tools to help readers understand the content and context of scholarly articles. This tool helps in finding, reading, and understanding peer-reviewed literature, and it also flags up useful articles like systematic reviews and meta-studies.Does Impactstory have a privacy policy in place?
Yes, Impactstory has a privacy policy. They assure that they do not engage in “privacy-violating data mining” and are committed to protecting user data. The detailed privacy policy can be found on their associated legal page.How does Impactstory support open science?
Impactstory is committed to building open infrastructure to support the Open Science movement. They are working on projects such as building a research software citation index and supporting an open API for altmetrics based on the Crossref Event Data system. These initiatives aim to make research more accessible and transparent.Can I get viewership stats for my research products on Impactstory?
Yes, Impactstory provides viewership stats for your research products. This feature allows you to see how many people are reading your work, in addition to other metrics like citations and discussions. Over time, they plan to add more detailed analytics, such as viewership maps.What are the benefits of uploading my work directly to Impactstory?
Uploading your work directly to Impactstory brings all your research products together in one place under your own brand, rather than under the brand of a journal or institution. It also helps in showcasing the value of your research more comprehensively than metrics alone and makes your work easily accessible without requiring readers to create an account. Impactstory - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of Impactstory
Impactstory is a valuable tool in the research tools category, particularly for those interested in tracking and showcasing the impact of their scholarly work. Here’s a breakdown of its benefits and who would most benefit from using it:Key Features
- Comprehensive Sharing: Impactstory allows researchers to share a wide range of scholarly products, including articles, slides, videos, GitHub repositories, Figshare images, and more, all in one place.
- Viewership and Impact Metrics: The platform provides detailed viewership stats and altmetrics, such as citations, saves, views, and discussions from various sources like Scopus, Mendeley, Twitter, and Figshare. This helps researchers gauge the broader impact of their work beyond traditional citation metrics.
- Open Access and Interoperability: Impactstory promotes open access by automatically embedding PDFs for OA publications and integrating content from multiple platforms like GitHub, Slideshare, and Vimeo. This enhances the accessibility and visibility of research.
- User-Friendly Interface: The platform is easy to use, allowing researchers to upload their work and track its impact without requiring readers to create an account.
Who Would Benefit Most
- Researchers: Impactstory is particularly beneficial for researchers who want to showcase their entire body of work, including non-traditional research products like datasets, software, and blog posts. It helps them demonstrate the broader impact of their research to funders, institutions, and peers.
- Institutions and Publishers: Institutions and publishers can also benefit by using Impactstory to create web-based collections and embed rich impact data into their webpages, highlighting the value of the research they support and publish.
Overall Recommendation
Impactstory is a highly recommended tool for anyone looking to track, share, and showcase the impact of their research. Here are some key points to consider:- Ease of Use: The platform is user-friendly, making it easy for researchers to upload and share their work.
- Comprehensive Metrics: It provides a wide range of metrics that help researchers understand how their work is being received and used.
- Open Access: Impactstory supports open access and interoperability, which is crucial for increasing the visibility and accessibility of research.
- Feedback and Improvement: The platform is open to feedback and continuously works on improving its features, which is a positive sign for its long-term utility.