What Are Research Metrics and Why Should I Care?

Abstract

We are living in a publish or perish world, where publishing research is no longer the only requirement imposed on scholars. Maintaining high author and article-level research metrics has gained momentum and these are considered important gauges when applying for jobs in academia, for academic promotions as well as for securing of research funds. Similarly, journals are depending on journal-level metrics to establish their place within the publishing scientific community. The higher the journal metrics, the more prestigious the journal is considered. Research metrics mainly depend on the number of citations an article or a journal achieves over time. Nowadays the digital footprint is also being considered as an essential sector for research metrics. This chapter will discuss author- and article-level metrics, how to interpret them, the influence of the digital platforms and outlets as well as what the future holds. These are very important facts that any scholar should be well acquainted with!