Keywords
citation databases, research infrastructure, citation analytics
Description
Digital Science’s Dimensions has been officially launched in January 2018. At a first glance, this is an exciting development, bringing new competition to the existing field, which is dominated by Clarivate’s Web of Science and Elsevier’s Scopus. Since Dimensions is a freemium, features such as full text and citation analytics require a subscription. Prior to subscription, library typically conducts trials and thorough evaluation, measuring the value that Dimensions brings to the institution, comparing it to existing products, calculating the cost of switching, examining its features and contents, and even considering the future of the product and the company. This paper, however, suggests that a broader, more holistic approach is needed, beyond the typical database evaluation. It is important to place citation database as one of the components of research workflow infrastructure and measure its implication to the entire workflow. Within the university, all stakeholders of research workflow infrastructure need to communicate and be aware of the various infrastructure that is available. In the end, different institution might have a different technological approach in managing their research infrastructure. An integrated research infrastructure, a modular, an open, or even an outsourced infrastructure; the approach has to suit the need of the institution and provides the best support to the researchers.
Another player in citation database: Are we subscribing?
Digital Science’s Dimensions has been officially launched in January 2018. At a first glance, this is an exciting development, bringing new competition to the existing field, which is dominated by Clarivate’s Web of Science and Elsevier’s Scopus. Since Dimensions is a freemium, features such as full text and citation analytics require a subscription. Prior to subscription, library typically conducts trials and thorough evaluation, measuring the value that Dimensions brings to the institution, comparing it to existing products, calculating the cost of switching, examining its features and contents, and even considering the future of the product and the company. This paper, however, suggests that a broader, more holistic approach is needed, beyond the typical database evaluation. It is important to place citation database as one of the components of research workflow infrastructure and measure its implication to the entire workflow. Within the university, all stakeholders of research workflow infrastructure need to communicate and be aware of the various infrastructure that is available. In the end, different institution might have a different technological approach in managing their research infrastructure. An integrated research infrastructure, a modular, an open, or even an outsourced infrastructure; the approach has to suit the need of the institution and provides the best support to the researchers.