Alternative metric indicators for funding scheme evaluations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential of altmetric and webometric indicators to aid with funding agencies’ evaluations of their funding schemes. Design/methodology/approach – This paper analyses a range of altmetric and webometric indicators in terms of suitability for funding scheme evaluations, compares them to traditional indicators and reports some statistics derived from a pilot study with Wellcome Trust-associated publications. Findings – Some alternative indicators have advantages to usefully complement scientometric data by reflecting a different type of impact or through being available before citation data. Research limitations/implications – The empirical part of the results is based on a single case study and does not give statistical evidence for the added value of any of the indicators. Practical implications – A few selected alternative indicators can be used by funding agencies as part of their funding scheme evaluations if they are processed in ways that enable comparisons between data sets. Their evidence value is only weak, however. Originality/value – This is the first analysis of altmetrics or webometrics from a funding scheme evaluation perspective.