altmetrics-guide
Installation
SKILL.md
Altmetrics Guide
Understand and use alternative metrics (altmetrics) to measure the broader impact and reach of research outputs beyond traditional citation counts.
What Are Altmetrics?
Altmetrics capture the online attention and engagement that research receives across diverse platforms. Unlike citation-based metrics (which can take years to accumulate), altmetrics provide near-real-time signals of how research is being discussed, shared, and used.
| Source Category | Examples | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Social media | Twitter/X, Facebook, Reddit, Weibo | Public discussion and sharing |
| News & blogs | Mainstream media, science blogs | Media coverage and science communication |
| Policy documents | Government reports, clinical guidelines | Policy relevance |
| Reference managers | Mendeley, Zotero readership | Academic readership and interest |
| Wikipedia | Article citations | Educational and encyclopedic use |
| Peer review | Publons, post-publication review | Formal and informal peer evaluation |
| Patents | Patent citations | Commercial and industrial relevance |