Bibliometrics is a set of methods, including citation analysis and content analysis, to quantitatively analyse research outputs. Many databases, such as Scopus, SCI, SSCI, AHCI, are able to measure the research impact of a researcher’s publication based on the number of times it has been cited by other researchers. Citation counts are commonly accepted and used for assessment, research funding allocation as well as promotion decision. Thus, it is crucial for authors to increase citation rates to their articles. Here are some possible ways to boost the citation rate.
| Author | Use full name consistently to avoid confusion of identity |
| Title | Choose a clear and descriptive title so as to help readers quickly decide whether they should read your article |
| Abstract | Make it succinct and informative. Ensure all relevant terms are included so that your article can be easily retrieved by search engines and databases |
| Keywords | Choose descriptive and precise keywords that must cover all key concepts and context of your article |
| Journal | Target a journal with higher impact factor in your field, or publish your article in a journal which is popular in your field |
| Review | Write a review of your article to help others easily understand your original research |
| Repository | Put your article in HKUST Institutional Repository or other Open Access Repositories so that it can be easily discovered |
| Conference | Go to conferences to promote your published article |
| Data | Put your research data in a data repository for sharing if possible |
| Language | Seek assistance if you are not writing in your first language |
The practice of inappropriate self-citations and citations among members of research group are not recommended.
Altmetrics are newly advocated metrics as an alternative to the traditional used journal impact factor and citation counts. The altmetric measurements are derived from social media and used as article-level metrics to indicate article impact and usefulness. In general, 5 categories of altmetrics are derived: viewed, discussed, saved, cited and recommended.
Even though the usefulness and definitions of altmetrics are still being debated, with the rise of social media and trends toward open access publishing, more and more researchers and publishers are using altmetrics to supplement bibliometric measurements.
Altmetric score shown in HKUST Scholarly Publications Database
Altmetric score adopted by Nature Publishing
