Altmetrics refer to alternative metrics that track online attention and engagement with research. They often manifest in mentions in social media, news media, blogs, policy documents, Wikipedia, and bookmarks in reference managers. While traditional citation counts capture how research ideas influence one another within scholarly publications, altmetrics provide a broader indication of how research is being discussed, shared, and noticed beyond academia, including professional communities and the public.
Societal impact refers to positive changes research brings beyond academia to society, such as public policy, professional practice, advances in health and education, economic benefits, improvement in the environment and cultural understanding, and more. Societal impact often requires qualitative and quantitative evidence. Citations in patents, policy documents, and clinical trials may provide a pointer for researchers to track their impact.
When using altmetrics, please be aware of the following:
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- Altmetrics measure online attention, not quality or societal impact.
- Altmetrics provide context for where the research is mentioned. Please consider the context, rather than the aggregate score.
- Avoid direct comparisons across disciplines.
Types 
Citations Patent ✅ ✅ ✅ Policy ✅ ✅ ✅ Clinical ❌ ✅ ✅ Mentions News ❌ ✅ ✅ Blog ❌ ✅ ✅ Podcast ❌ ✅ ❌ Wikipedia ❌ ✅ ✅ YouTube ❌ ✅ ❌ Social media ❌ ✅ ✅ Level of Search Person, Department, Institution Article, Person, Department, Institution Article Library Guide Library Guide Library Guide -
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