Altmetrics (alternative metrics) are a family of indicators that try to capture attention and engagement beyond traditional citation counts. Mentions on X (Twitter), news sites, policy documents, blogs, Wikipedia, clinical guidelines, or online reader tools can all contribute. The goal is to see societal, policy, or educational spread—not only the slow academic citation clock.
Single numbers such as an Altmetric Attention Score summarize attention intensity; they are not quality grades. A viral controversy can spike a score; a quiet field-changing paper can look modest. Use altmetrics as complementary evidence, not as a replacement for Impact Factor or FWCI. A citation in a policy document is often a particularly valued altmetric signal.
Providers (Altmetric.com, PlumX, and others) differ in coverage and weighting—compare inside one tool. Turkish appointment guidelines rarely mandate altmetrics, yet they help for publicly relevant research, project reports, and institutional communication.
Ethically, artificial social campaigns to chase scores distort metrics and trust. The citation entry covers traditional impact; FWCI covers normalized citation impact. Altmetrics surface other attention channels—report them as distinct.
When you use Altmetrics in a dossier or journal choice, state the year, official source, and category or collection name when relevant. Cross-reading related entries in this glossary prevents slogan-only explanations and produces verifiable wording that matches how committees and funders actually read evidence.