Research impact refers to how scholarly work is discovered, shared, and used within the academic community and beyond. Measures such as citation counts, journal indicators, and alternative metrics provide insight into a researcher’s visibility and reach, though no single metric can fully capture the significance of scholarly contributions. Understanding how to demonstrate research impact can support tenure and promotion materials, strengthen grant and funding applications, reveal how research is being used by others, and inform decisions about where to publish.
The Libraries provide training and consultation to help researchers maximize the visibility and influence of their scholarship. We offer guidance on:
- Using tools like Scopus and Web of Science to perform citation analyses and compile impact data for tenure and promotion
- Interpreting key indicators such as h-index, journal rankings, and field-normalized measures
- Creating researcher profiles and identifiers (e.g., ORCID)
- Using scholarly networking tools to promote your research and identify potential collaborators
