Why measure research impact?

  • Evaluation of  the quality and relevance of research: Research impact measurement helps in assessing the quality and relevance of research by analyzing the extent to which the research has made a significant contribution to the field of study.
  • Improvement of  research outcomes: Research impact measurement can help researchers to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their research, which can help them to make necessary improvements in their research outcomes.
  • Securing funding: Funding agencies often use research impact measures to evaluate the impact of research and decide which research projects to fund. High research impact scores can increase the chances of securing research funding.
  • Impact to policy and practice: Research that has a high impact score can inform policy and practice, leading to positive changes in society. For example, research on the effects of climate change can inform policy decisions on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Increase visibility and citations: Measuring research impact can also increase the visibility of researchers and their work, leading to more citations and collaborations with other researchers.