Altmetric scores: An early indicator of research impact

In this paper we test whether metrics of online attention describing research can provide information on research quality, and quality of impact from research, that isn?t found in citation data alone. Our approach is to set up a traditional model in which the true quality or impact of a university department is determined by a panel of experts but a citation metric is regarded as a reasonable proxy. However, the model assumes that the information contained in the scores provided by an expert panel exceeds that contained in a citation metric (HEFCE, 2015). Finally, we extend this model by including the altmetric score to see if it adds information about a department?s quality that can?t be gleaned from citations alone. We find the presence of altmetric data for the cited underpinning research to be highly correlated with peer review scores on research impact. Conversely, no effect was seen within the assessment of research quality. Our findings therefore suggest altmetric data could be useful as an aid to assessing impact. HEFCE (2015): The Metric Tide: Correlation analysis of REF2014 scores and metrics (Supplementary Report II to the Independent Review of the Role of Metrics in Research Assessment and Management). HEFCE. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.3362.4162