The reputation of a researcher relies significantly on how their work is perceived to hold value and impact. But these terms are, by definition, purely subjective to the person who is determining the judgment. In scientific terms, these are qualitative measures that are being used to set a quantitative number to a researcher’s reputation, and that can be dangerous without an understanding of how these numbers are reached.

Part of a researcher’s job is, therefore, to explore deeply and understand how the terms of “value” and “impact” will affect their reputation and who it is exactly that defines these terms for them.

Factors That Determine Impact and Reputation

There are some ways researchers can plan for an idea of how their outcomes will assist in making an impact. These measures are determined by a framework with a mix of metrics, time, and target sources.

Bibliometrics are collected through a compilation of nine main areas, which include a combination of qualitative and quantitative data. These are the areas of research that were directly impacted by the scholar’s work, the prestige the research obtained, and the development of the researcher’s career post-publication, to begin with.

Beyond those basics, the metrics include the entire process of start to finish, including the institution’s support, the network of external connections who were involved with the research, and how the work impacted changes in policies, health aspects, economics, or a broader range in another area.

The consideration of this work as impactful also is determined by whether these changes were short-term or long-term.

Adjusting Your Work to Create Impacts

As you compile your work, it’s important to be unbiased and let the evidence speak for itself. But while you design your overall research steps and put your output together into a final submission for publication, you can account for areas that may help your work be considered to hold more “value” and “impact,” such as:

●      Focusing on areas that are considered to be ambiguous to people so that they develop a greater understanding and awareness of the research topic

●      Focusing on areas that require people to rethink and readjust their attitudes on a controversial or important topic

●      Looking for ways that your work can make an economic difference that would help save consumers money, save industries overhead, and increase profits and revenue

●      Consider using research activism to promote work that benefits the environment, the ecosystem, renewable resource usage, and protecting ecosystems

●      If environmental topics aren’t something you’re interested in, consider focusing your research on the health and well-being of others, searching for ways that you can improve the current treatment of those with physical and mental conditions

●      Evaluate current policies in the scope of your research and try to find ways that these policies can be amended or improved in some way

●      Observe and analyze cultural norms and interactions among those with different belief systems, values, and attitudes and attempt to promote research that fosters acceptance of differences in these cultures or preserves the values, attitudes, and beliefs of a culture

●      Consider working the field of education as an advocate for research that improves the current educational system or a targeted area inside this system to improve academic outcome or basic human rights in the institutional environment

●      In a post-COVID-19 world, research that aids people in dealing with unexpected changes is another important aspect that holds significant value and could make a great impact

With all of these areas, you are more likely to be able to use your work’s outcome to foster a higher impact, therefore improving your scholarly reputation no matter who is qualitatively judging your work through peer-review or other analysis. When you have a higher reputation, it’s more likely that you will be able to obtain better positions or be placed on the track for tenure, as well as achieve multiple other advantageous perks along the course of your career.

Impactio Improves Your Chances of Making More Impact

Without a software program that gives you the tools you need to turn your work into professional, well put together submissions ready for publication, your work could be pushed to the side in favor of another research paper that looks better. Clarity, layout, and conciseness are all important aspects of compiling your paper to prepare it for publication, and Impactio helps you put everything together easily.

With Impactio’s all-in-one platform, academics use templates to drag and drop their text, turn citation and publication data into impactful charts, tables, and graphs, and finalize their profiles as professionally designed PDF documents and web pages.

If you want to be proactive about the impact your work will make, include Impactio on the list of tools you use in your research career.