Introducing the recently launched The Metrics Toolkit – Stacy Konkiel outlines what it is, why it was created, and how it can be used by practitioners working in research impact management. In January, The Metrics Toolkit launched to much interest from academics in the US and UK. The Metrics Toolkit is an online resource aimed at helping researchers and evaluators understand and responsibly use research metrics like journal acceptance

Katie Evans looks at the wider context of responsible metrics and asks what the ingredients of a culture of responsibility might be. I talk to academics about bibliometrics on an almost daily basis.

Lizzie Gadd considers whether “responsible” is something we do or something we are. I’ve made the point a few times recently that responsible bibliometrics requires responsible bibliometricians.  It is not just our systems and processes that need to be responsible, but us.  We are the ones supporting these activities in our institutions.

Ian Rowlands hammers another nail into the h-index’s coffin by explaining how it actually brings nothing new to the table and by showing how chance determines its outcome. The poor old h-index has come in for a lot of criticism recently, with a flood of papers pointing to its conceptual and practical shortcomings.  Is it time to bury it?

Lizzie Gadd reviews a new introductory text, “Measuring Research: what everyone needs to know” by Cassidy Sugimoto and Vincent Larivière. The research community has been crying out for a decent primer on all things bibliometrics.  And now we have one. And it’s a good one – no doubt about that.  It’s well-written by two people who know what they’re talking about.

Dr Quentin Pope, a Liaison Librarian and subject specialised librarian with specific responsibilities for the library and information requirements of QUT School of Law, outlines how you can track citations in Law. The primary purpose of bibliographic reference research is to link references in citations of scholarly publications.

Here are the links to presentations given at the recent # respbib18 conference at Altmetric, 30 January 2018. Many thanks to all the presenters, and to the participants, for a stimulating day. 9:00-9:45 Registration and refreshments 9:45-9:55

The Glucksman Library in the University of Limerick in Ireland has a vacancy for Head Research Services (Multiannual). As a new initiative the Head, Research Services will develop and deliver a range of research services at all stages of the research life cycle in the context of Open Science initiatives and ongoing developments in scholarly communication.

Lizzie Gadd reflects on two recent responsible metrics events: Lis-Bibliometrics’ “Responsible Bibliometrics in Practice” and the HEFCE/UUK’s “Turning the Tide: Changing the Culture of Responsible Metrics” both held within ten days of each other in London. Responsible metrics events are like buses it would seem.  Nothing for nine months, and then three within the space of ten days.

In this post Prof.

Lizzie Gadd warns against jumping on ‘bad metrics’ bandwagons without really engaging with the more complex responsible metrics agenda beneath. An undoubted legacy of the Metric Tide report has been an increased focus on the responsible use of metrics and along with this a notion of ‘bad metrics’.  Indeed, the report itself even recommended awarding an annual ‘Bad Metrics Prize’.