Research output and impact

Research outputs such as journal articles and other scholarly publications are a tangible result of research. They are the primary means of communicating the results of academic enquiry. Increasingly, metrics are being used to measure the research impact of an individual scientist or group.

When and how to use metrics

Metrics, including the h-index and other citation metrics, can be used to illustrate your track record when applying for grants and promotion. Metrics are now used in school, institute and research centre reviews as well as for national research assessment exercises such as Excellence in Research Australia (ERA). You can book a consultation with your Research Information Service Librarian.

What metrics to use

Our fact sheets explain the use of citation metrics and strategies for increasing your research impact. One such strategy involves the deposit of research outputs in repositories such as UQ eSpace. Academics with a ResearcherID account can arrange for Web of Science publications to be automatically downloaded into UQ eSpace.

Where you can get help

Your Research Information Service Librarian can assist you with citation analysis, journal impact factors, rankings and benchmarking and can help you set up a ResearcherID.

Tutorial - Measuring your Research Impact (MyRI)

MyRI is a highly recommended self-paced tutorial on tools that help you measure your research impact.The material is a collaborative project of four Irish academic libraries and is licensed open access.There are 3 modules:

introductory overview
tracking your research impact
journal ranking and analysis

Q-index

UQ staff can use the Q-Index to view their research performance. Q-Index provides an individual composite index of research performance over a rolling 6-year window plus the current year to date. Data is drawn nightly from UQ eSpace, ResearchMaster, and SI-net. To ensure your Q-Index is accurate and up to date, try to ensure all your publications are listed on UQ eSpace.