This document summarizes the NISO Altmetrics Initiative, which has three working groups developing standards and definitions around altmetrics. Working Group A is defining terms related to altmetrics and use cases. Working Group B is defining appropriate metrics and identifiers. Working Group C is developing strategies to improve data quality. The initiative aims to account for new types of scholarly interactions not captured by citations alone and provide guidance to stakeholders in this changing area.

1. NISO Altmetrics Initiative
Nettie Lagace
NISO Update, ALA Midwinter, Boston
January 10, 2016

2. NISO Altmetrics Initiative:
Why worth funding?
• Scholarly assessment is critical to the overall
process
– Which projects get funded
– Who gets promoted and tenure
– Which publications are prominent
• Assessment has been based on citation since the
60s
• Today’s scholars multiple types of interactions
with scholarly content are not reflected
– Is “non-traditional” scholarly output important too?

5. Working Groups
• A development of definitions and descriptions of
use
• B definitions for appropriate metrics and
calculation methodologies for specific output
types and promotion and facilitation of use of
persistent identifiers
• C development of strategies to improve data
quality through source data providers.

6. Steering Committee

7. Calendar
• April 2015 – Group(s) start working
• January 2016 – Draft documents
• February 2016 – Comment periods
• Late Spring 2016 – Completion of final draft &
publication

8. Working Group A
• Development of definitions for terms
commonly used in alternative assessment
metrics – enabling different stakeholders to
know they are talking about the same thing
• Descriptions of use cases which apply to
various stakeholder groups

9. As work is progressing…
• Quickly changing area
• Various perspectives produce many
assumptions and multiple nuances
• Header entry, “What is Altmetrics?”
• Categorization of definitions
• Use cases sorted by persona

10. Working Group B
• Definitions for appropriate metrics and
calculation methodologies for specific output
types
• Promotion and facilitation of use of persistent
identifiers in scholarly communications

11. As work is progressing…
• 3 smaller subgroups
– report and set of recommendations/next steps in
the area of data metrics
– organizing and collecting various outputs and
indicators that can serve as alternative metrics
– comprehensive catalog of persistent identifier
players and schema
• Output will likely be contributed to the CASRAI
Data Dictionary

12. Working Group C
• Development of strategies to improve data
quality through source data providers

13. As work is progressing…
• Creating a “Code of Conduct” for data
providers; target groups:
– altmetric data providers
– data aggregators
– users of altmetrics data and indicators
• Issues around “community” data providers
and “non-community” providers
• Audit? Who?

14. Questions?