Alternative impact measures for open access documents? An examination how to generate interoperable usage information from distributed open access services

Abstract

This presentation examines alternative impact measures for open access documents, focusing on the generation and interoperability of usage data. Traditional citation-based metrics, such as the Journal Impact Factor (JIF) and the Hirsch index (h-index), are widely used but face criticism for their limited scope, language bias, and inadequate representation of non-traditional publication types. To address these limitations, the talk explores usage-based metrics, which offer real-time, object-specific impact measurement. The Open Access Statistics (OAS) project is highlighted as a case study, detailing its objectives to establish standardized protocols for data exchange, develop technical infrastructure, and provide interoperable services for repositories. The results underscore the potential of usage-based metrics to complement citation metrics, fostering a multi-faceted approach to impact measurement. Despite these advancements, challenges such as data standardization, user identification, and document deduplication remain. The presentation concludes with insights on the implications of alternative metrics for open access and the need for further collaboration and infrastructure development.