Rethinking impact : applying altmetrics to Southern African research
Date
2014-01
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Scholarly Communication in Africa Programme
Abstract
Within the rigours of an increasingly competitive global higher education environment, institutions are under pressure to provide evidence of the value of their services. The capacity to track downstream use and influence of online resources, and the ability to obtain demographic information on the users of resources has tremendous potential to aid institutions in tracking and testing the impact of their research activities and reporting to government, international funders and civil society. Before altmetrics (“alternative metrics”) techniques can be appreciated though, “impact” has to be defined. This paper considers the uses and limitations of altmetrics with regard to research activity.
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Keywords
RESEARCH RESULTS, OPEN ACCESS, INFORMATION DISSEMINATION, CITATIONS, SOCIAL MEDIA, ALTMETRICS, SOUTH OF SAHARA, GREY LITERATURE, HIGHER EDUCATION, RESEARCH NEEDS