Measuring Academic Success Beyond Citation Counts.
Citations are the most popular measure of impact in academia, reflecting how frequently research is cited by peers and used in assessment of researchers and institutions. But citation is only a proxy, and it doesn't reveal the whole story. The scope of academic impact is widening to include all manner of influence. While a highly-cited study might shape a field of research, knowledge also has power through its application: affecting policy; altering practices in healthcare, education, environmentalism, technology and numerous other areas; and contributing to economic growth. Some of these broader contributions to society and the economy are not captured effectively by the number of citations a study receives. Teaching impact is also important: studies have shown that inspiring teachers, creating resources for education and mentoring future scholars significantly impact students' futures. Similarly, community engagement-ranging from public lectures, science communication and outreach to media contributions-connects research with the broader public sphere, while these connections can sometimes be difficult to quantify through traditional citation methods. The proliferation of so-called altmetrics which track research mention in online media, policy papers and social networks reflects this growing demand for broader metrics of research reach and impact. Collaboration also deserves credit: creating networks and partnerships with others has the potential to generate impact greater than that produced by a solitary investigator, and these collaborations are difficult to measure by citation count alone. Ultimately, it seems the purpose of academic research is more than simply creating something to be cited in academic papers: its goal is to create knowledge, solve problems and have an impact on the world. Citation counts will always play an important role in academia, but they should be recognized as only one of many important measures.
Read More: https://www.globalxpublications.com/blog/how-to-increase-research-citations-and-academic-visibility
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