What are patent citation metrics and how can I use them?
Answer
What are patent citation metrics?
Patent citation metrics measure the influence of academic research on technological innovation. When a patent cites a research output, it suggests that the scholarly work contributed to the development of new technologies, products, or processes.
These metrics provide evidence of broader impact beyond academia—demonstrating real-world relevance, societal benefit, and potential commercial application.
Why use patent citation metrics?
Patent citations offer valuable insights into the real-world influence of research. They can help:
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Evidence real-world impact: Show that your research has informed new innovations—useful for funding bids, impact case studies, or strategic reporting.
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Identify industry connections: Discover which companies or inventors have cited your work, helping to identify possible partnerships or areas of applied interest.
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Strengthen funding applications: Demonstrate how your work contributes to tangible technological outcomes.
How can I find out if my research has been cited by patents?
You can explore patent citation data using SciVal, Elsevier’s research intelligence platform.
Getting started with SciVal
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Go to www.scival.com
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Use your University of Manchester email address to register
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Log in to explore available features
Finding patent citations
Once logged in:
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Navigate to the Explore module.
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Locate your researcher profile or define a set of publications.
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Select the Patent Citations option.
From there, you can:
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View how many patents have cited your work
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See which organisations or inventors are citing your publications
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Explore the technological fields related to your research
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Export data for use in reports or presentations
Important considerations
Patent citations can provide compelling evidence of applied impact, but they should be interpreted carefully. Not all fields are equally represented in patent literature, and citation practices vary across industries and countries. As with all research metrics, they should be used in context and never as a standalone measure of quality or value.
Further support
Elsevier offers guidance on using patent data in SciVal:
If you would like tailored help exploring patent citations or using SciVal more effectively, please contact the Office for Open Research