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Prepare for Promotion and Tenure

Other Metrics

Altmetrics are recent attempts to quantify the impact of research, especially journal articles, in ways that incorporate online use, mentions in social media, and news coverage. Even though the numbers provided by altmetrics tools are not yet standardized or well-understood, the tools nevertheless can be useful for tracking what is being said about research and finding impacts that might not be visible elsewhere.

Broader Impacts

Book reviews and citations to academic publications are some ways to show the impact of research, but there are many other impacts that research can have. Depending on the goals of a research endeavor, other documentation of the impact may be more meaningful.

Book Reviews

Impact of Creative and Artistic Works

Promotion and tenure considerations for artistic works include both the importance of the place where the work is exhibited and the quality and importance of the work itself. It is easier to document an exhibit or performance at the time it happens or soon after than to go back later to document it. 

  • Competitiveness of the venue: What is the venue's reputation? What other artists have exhibited or performed there? If there was a competition, how many others participated? What sort of review happened before the presentation or exhibition? 
  • Size and scope of the work, including consultations or commissions: How big is it, e.g. number of square feet, number of pieces shown, seating space in an auditorium? Does a comission draw on professional judgement, and not just technical skill? 
  • Selectivity for artists in residence: How competitive was the application process? What are the expectations during the residency? 
  • National or international significance of works: Is your work discussed in national or international publications? Has it won major awards? Is it in major public or private collections? 
  • Reviews of artistic works: What are others' professional opinions of it?