Library Help: Office For Open Research

What are author level metrics?

Author-level metrics (sometimes called individual metrics) aim to assess the cumulative impact of your research over time. These indicators offer insight into the influence, visibility, and reach of your work across scholarly communities.

Typical author-level metrics include:

• Citation counts (total number of times your work has been cited)

• h-index (a measure combining productivity and citation impact)

• Field-normalised metrics (e.g. FWCI, CNCI)

• Citation trends and patterns

Why use author-level metrics?

Author metrics can be useful for:

• ✅ Showcasing research impact
  They offer a high-level overview of how your body of work is contributing to your field.

• ✅ Supporting funding or promotion cases
  They can provide standardised evidence of sustained influence and productivity over time.

📌 Important: Author-level metrics should never be used in isolation or to compare individuals, especially across disciplines. The University of Manchester is committed to the responsible use of research metrics in line with DORA and other sector guidance.
 

Where can I find author-level metrics?

Here are some recommended platforms to explore your individual research metrics:
 

Scopus

• Offers author profiles with metrics including:

  • Total citations

  • h-index

  • Citation trends over time

• Helps you track output and citations at a global level

📍Access your profile via Scopus Author Search; if one doesn’t exist, you can request to create or correct it.
 

Web of Science (WoS)

• Provides an Author Impact Profile, featuring:

  • h-index

  • Citation counts

  • Metrics per publication

📍 Search for your name using the “Author” search option and explore your metrics from the author record page.
 

Scite

• Uses AI to show how your work is being cited:

  • Supporting, contrasting, or neutral mentions

  • Which parts of your work are cited (e.g. methods, results)

• Offers a personalised dashboard once you create a free account

📍 Sign up and link your publications to explore enhanced citation context.

Additional platforms for deeper analysis

For broader insights and benchmarking, use these research intelligence tools:
 

Scival (based on Scopus data)

• Provides field-weighted metrics like FWCI, and collaboration indicators

• Allows custom analysis of groups of publications

📍 Use the “Researchers and Groups” module to locate your profile and view detailed metrics.
 

Incites (based on Web of Science data)

• Offers author-level metrics including CNCI, h-index, and citation percentiles

• Supports benchmarking within your field or institution

📍 Log in and use “Researcher Metrics” to search for your name and explore performance indicators.
 

Further support

If you're unsure which platform to use or how to interpret your data, we can help.

📞 Contact the Office for Open Research

We offer tailored advice on:

• Navigating author profiles across platforms

• Understanding metric strengths and limitations

• Using indicators responsibly in CVs, grant applications, or internal reviews