Library Help: Office For Open Research

Who we are

The Research Indicators service, is part of the Office for Open Research. We support the University of Manchester in understanding and evidencing the reach, influence, and context of its research.

We combine traditional bibliometric approaches with emerging research intelligence tools to provide meaningful, responsible, and actionable insights.

Our objectives

1. To provide access to leading research intelligence platforms and data
   We maintain subscriptions to a suite of research analytics tools, ensuring the University community has access to high-quality, field-normalised data.

2. To deliver expert support and bespoke analyses
   We work with researchers, departments, and professional services across the University to provide tailored insights, custom reports, and guidance on the appropriate use of research metrics.

Our approach 

We focus on delivering services that: 

• Utilise traditional citation-based analyses (bibliometrics) 

• Promote the responsible and contextualised use of metrics, in line with DORA and other sector-wide principles

• Identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for research collaboration

• Incorporate innovative / market-leading products to provide you with access to the latest developments in research intelligence such as SciVal, Incites or Overton.

Learn more about the full range of research intelligence products that we provide.

Bespoke analysis service 

For complex datasets or research intelligence needs, we offer a bespoke analysis service. You can work collaboratively with our team to generate datasets and insights tailored to your requirements.

This service can support:

• Refining your research questions

• Selecting appropriate and responsible metrics

• Producing tailored analyses

• Improving your understanding of how to use metrics in line with responsible research evaluation principles

Our research indicators gateway can be used to request specific analyses or you can contact us to discuss your general requirements 

Examples of our bespoke analyses

Our service has recently delivered: 

• A mapping of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) outputs across all University of Manchester Schools and Faculties

• An overview of the University's collaborations with low- and middle-income (LMI) countries

• Dashboards identifying which University of Manchester researchers are active in sub-fields such as Health Equity and Artificial Intelligence

• School- and Institute-level reports comparing research trends with global data

• Analyses of REF Unit of Assessment (UoA) outputs and postgraduate researcher (PGR) publication data

How to get in touch 

By working with the Research Indicators team, you will gain access to valuable insights and develop a better understanding of how to use metrics responsibly and effectively in your research.

If you’d like to discuss your research intelligence requirements, please contact the Office for Open Research.

Further support

If you already know the type of analysis or report you need, you can submit a request using our online Research Indicators Gateway.

The Gateway allows you to request:

• Unit-Level Analysis – Strategic insights at the level of department, school, faculty, or Research Institute
• Personal Insights – Individualised metrics reports focused on your own publications and outputs

All analyses are delivered in line with the University’s commitment to responsible use of metrics. If you are unsure what type of support you need, please contact us for advice.