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Scholarly Communication

OU Libraries guides scholars in matters relating to scholarly communication, which we define as the formal and informal ways research and scholarly works are created, evaluated, disseminated, preserved, used, and transformed.

What is research impact?

Research impact is the demonstrable contribution that research makes to academia and society and is an important aspect of the research lifecycle. Impact is often measured by quantitative measures (i.e., metrics) designed to help evaluate research outputs. However, there are myriad methods being used to measure research impact. It is important to find the appropriate metrics for demonstrating the value of your work. 

By measuring how your research impacts a field or discipline and how it impacts the world around you can:

  • Discover how research is being utilized
  • Ensure research is appropriately credited
  • Enrich promotion, tenure, annual reviews
  • Enhance grant applications, renewals, and progress reports
  • Demonstrate broader use and impact beyond academia 
  • Demonstrate impact on university/institution rankings and return on research investment

This guide introduces some common methods for demonstrating impact and offers guidance on how to establish your research identity, how to set up your identifiers, and increase your impact.

If you would like more information and assistance, contact your liaison librarian. 

(content credit: Standford School of Medicine Library guide)