Library Help: Office For Open Research

What are patent citation metrics?

Patent citation metrics measure the influence of academic research on technological innovation by analysing how often scholarly work is cited in patents. When a patent cites your research, it indicates that your work has played a role in the development of new technologies, processes, or products. This connection between research and practical applications can be used to indicate the broader impact of your work outside academia.

Why should I use patent citation metrics?

Discovering that your work has been cited by patents can be highly significant. Patent citations can be used as indicators of societal and technological impact as they provide tangible evidence that your research contributes to innovation and has relevance to real-world applications. You can also use patent metrics to:

• Evidence real-world research impact: Having work cited by patents underscores its practical value, making it more attractive to funders, collaborators, and institutions.

• Discover industry connections: Identifying patents that cite your work can help you spot potential industry collaborators or commercial opportunities.

• Support funding applications: Highlighting patent citations can strengthen grant applications by showcasing the tangible outcomes of your research.

How can I find out if my research has been cited by patents?

You can use SciVal, a research intelligence platform, to identify whether your work has been cited by patents. Here’s how:

1. Access SciVal - in order to access SciVal you will need to register for an account with Elsevier. You must use your University of Manchester email address and credentials in order to do this.  Once you have registered the tool can be accessed from www.scival.com 

2. Navigate to the "Explore" Module and locate your researcher profile or specific publications by title, DOI, or keyword.

3. Analyse Patent Citations: Once your profile or publications are loaded, you can:

   • View the number of patents citing your work.

   • Identify the organisations or inventors citing your research.

   • Explore related technological fields.

4. Export and Share Insights: SciVal allows you to export data for reports or presentations, making it easy to share your findings with stakeholders.

Further support

Elsevier have produced further guidance around the patents data availanble within SciVal:

• Elsevier guidance on SciVal patent data

If you require further assistance please contact the Office for Open Research