bibliometriikka@oulu.fi
Societal impact means the changes and benefits that research and knowledge bring to society as a whole. It’s about how research results and publications can affect different parts of society, i.e. politics, the economy, health, the environment, and education. Societal impact can show up as new laws, better healthcare practices, new inventions and technology, or by helping people become more aware and informed.
Potential societal impact can be observed by looking at where and how research publications are mentioned outside of universities. For example, if research is cited in policy documents, government reports, laws, documents from organizations, or the media, it may have influenced decision-making or public discussion. You can also see impact by checking how many publications are aimed at professionals or the general public.
Altmetrics
Altmetrics help researchers see how visible and influential their research is outside the academic world. Altmetrics measure things like how often and where publications are mentioned on social media, in news articles, blogs, policy documents, or Wikipedia. You can find more information about altmetrics in the National Publication Metrics Guide.
One important tool for this is Altmetric Explorer, which researchers at the University of Oulu can use. It helps track mentions of individual publications, see where they are cited, and analyze the types of attention the research gets. This helps researchers find out how their work might be making a difference in society and gives a broader view than just looking at academic citations.
Another important tool is Overton, which focuses on mentions in policy documents. It collects references to research in government reports, legislative proposals, and other decision-making documents. Overton helps show where research has been used in real decision-making, proving its societal impact. Together, these tools give researchers many ways to follow and show how their research matters outside of academia.
