Alternative metrics can take many forms and may appear in many different tools. The Library provides access to some key tools that collect metrics for you, but you may also find alternative metrics in other sources.
Important note: metrics or data on outputs may not carry much weight on their own. It is important to work within your discipline norms and contextualise the data you have.
Whether your portfolio is primarily traditional outputs (for example, journals articles or book chapters) or is mainly non-traditional research outputs (for example, websites, creative works, podcasts, or software code), there are ways to collect alternative metrics. Below is a table covering some examples that you may like to explore. Note that this is not an exhaustive list. Please speak with your faculty's liaison librarian for further information or examples for your discipline area.
Important note: You may need to get some of this information from a third party.
| Research output type | Potentially useful platforms |
|---|---|
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Traditional outputs, including journal articles, books, book chapters, and conference papers. Alternative metrics for other text based works may also be included in the suggested platforms. |
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Non-traditional outputs, including (but not limited to) creative text-based or visual works, performances, recordings, compositions, software code, 3D models or designs, or research reports and policy papers. |
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The best way to improve your alternative metrics is to share your works using a persistent link, like a DOI.
For more information read our tips for improving your altmetrics.