Digital publishing has become the main source of dissemination of information to the world at large. It is now considered to be a legitimate, useful, and reliable form of publishing that allows researchers to reach a wider audience than the traditional methods of paper journals and magazines. But now that authors no longer have to worry as much about how they’ll get their research published, the question moves to how they will make their information stand out amongst all the other information available online through open access forums.

The answer to this question has become readily apparent over the years. Researchers must use data, in the form of bibliometrics and search engine optimization, to drive their submissions into academic journals that reach their audience and create a higher impact.

Challenges of Moving From a Mostly Print World to Digital Mediums

Over the past decade, print companies have felt the impact of an ever-increasing trend of users who prefer electronic over hard copies in all areas, from e-commerce to reading books. But switching from a centuries-old practice of print publication to a digital format, although easier in theory, comes with a multitude of challenges.

For researchers, these obstacles include problems such as:

●      Ensuring readers take their electronic work as seriously as their printed counterparts by demonstrating that the same amount of work and information is available in the electronic, online version, even through open access forums

●      Getting published in high-reputation scholarly journals that still place a significance on printed publications over digital mediums as a form of increased scholarly reputation

●      Balancing the value of publication in a respected, traditional, printed journal with the ease of digital publishing mediums

●      Adjusting to and learning how to optimize content for an easier reader experience and higher impact rating

Although the challenges are real, they are becoming streamlined and efficient as more and more researchers graduate immersed in the Digital Erra as their primary method of data collection and dissemination.

How Bibliometrics Drive Reader Usage

Bibliometrics are now the most common method used to evaluate scientific research and assess individuals for scholarly impact. These measures include factors like:

●      How many papers were published by a researcher to indicate his or her productivity

●      How often a paper published by a researcher was cited by other researchers in their submissions to indicate the level of interest imparted by the audience

●      How often an electronic paper was downloaded by the readers of the publication to indicate the importance of the work

●      The average amount of times the papers in a journal are cited in a specified period of time after the journal was published to demonstrate the quality of the work inside the publication

These factors have many advantages for them, but they also come with disadvantages. When it comes to the reasons so many people are proponents of using bibliometrics to measure impact, the positives are obvious. Data collection this way is a straightforward, formulaic method of analyzing what could otherwise be subjective information in a superficially objective and unbiased way.

However, opponents claim that qualitative data is necessary to form a wholly inclusive picture of impact, and bibliometrics don’t include this integral piece. Data can also be manipulated for the good of the researcher and citations don’t focus on quality, just numbers, which is also an area that can be manipulated. Another argument is that since the number of citations is higher when research is trending, scientists may be more likely to focus on a narrow topic area of those top-ranking subjects rather than explore original ideas.

Through optimization of search engine content, using keywords, and learning how to take data analytics and use them to your advantage, your research can benefit from the same methods other scholars are using to drive their submissions into academic journals and reach a wide audience for a more lasting impact.

Impactio Can Help You Follow Your Data

Once you’ve done the hard work of compiling your research into a submission ready for publishing, the question becomes one of how well your work has reached its audience. To help you follow your work after publication, Impactio has a program that does this for you. Through citation indicators, you can see how your submission is received by the audience and used by your peers. Build your academic profile and connect with a network of experts in the Impactio community for even greater impact!

Everything you need from publication to following your data is available in Impactio’s all-in-one platform designed for scholarly experts like you!