Altmetrics, short for alternative metrics, measure the impact and engagement of scholarly work across digital platforms like social media, blogs, news articles, and policy documents. They provide a view of how research is interacted with by a broader audience beyond traditional academic citations. It should be noted Altmetrics are a measure of attention, not necessarily scholarly merit.
Learn More: Watch What Are Altmetrics (short video from Digital Science)
Plum X Altmetrics
PlumX Altmetrics in Scopus offer a comprehensive view of research impact by tracking interactions with research outputs. These metrics include Usage, Captures, Mentions, Social Media, and Citations. The Plum Print visualises these metrics, providing insights into how research is used, shared, and discussed across various platforms.
Learn More: Finding PlumX Metrics in Scopus (You Tube video (1.10 min) from the University of Wollongong Library).
Dimensions and the Altmetric Score
Altmetric information in Dimensions AI, visually represented by the Altmetrics badge (doughnut), uses different colours to indicate sources like social media mentions, news outlets, and policy documents.
By capturing mentions across various platforms, altmetrics provide a broader perspective on the impact and reach of research beyond traditional citation metrics.
Learn more: How to find altmetrics in Dimensions in this Guide: How Can I Identify How Much Attention a Paper Has Received Beyond Just Citations? (From Digital Science).
For a good example of how to use altmetric scores and summaries in CV's and promotions, see this Guide; How to make use of Altmetrics (from Dundee University Library).