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Research Metrics Toolkit

How to: Use SciVal to dig deeper into Scopus metrics and benchmark research performance

What is SciVal and how is it related to Scopus?

SciVal is a research analytics product that uses the publications in the Scopus database as its dataset. It provides a wide range of research metrics and the ability to create reports, compare, and benchmark many different types of entities. You will need to create a log in (or use your existing Elsevier log in for Scopus or Mendeley) as it is dashboard style tool with a high level of customisation. Since SciVal is based on Scopus, it is very important to ensure your Scopus Author ID is up to date and tidy, and your affiliation is correct.

How to access SciVal

  1. Access SciVal through Scopus, or from www.scival.com

  2. SciVal is available to Deakin users, however, you will need to log in using an Elsevier account. This personal account is required as you will be setting up and saving preferences. If you have an account for Scopus or ScienceDirect, this will work. If not, click Register Now

What's an entity?

SciVal uses the term "entity" to refer to "anything that can be viewed in SciVal in terms of academic performance". An entity can be a single researcher (or more accurately, all the publications in SciVal for an individual researcher), or a range of different types of groups, for example:

  • Individual researchers or groups of researchers
  • Publication sets
  • Research areas
  • Institutions
  • Countries
  • The World (or, all the publications in the SciVal dataset)

More information about entities.

The Explore module

Select the Explore module for a high-level view of the research performance of an entity. An entity can be an individual researcher (such as yourself), a group of researchers (you can create groups yourself), an institution, a country, a publication set, a Scopus source (ie. a journal indexed in Scopus) or the whole world (all the publications in Scopus).

  • Use the Entity list button at the top the page to find and add your entity
  • You can only view one entity at a time
  • A selection of pre-set year ranges is available, with a maximum 10-year window
  • Filter all the publications in your entity by an FOR code, or other subject classification scheme.

The Compare module

The All metrics option under the Compare module gives you the flexibility to benchmark all types of entities across a huge range of metrics.  

  • Use the panel on the left to find and add your entities
  • You can view multiple entities at a time
  • Choose which metrics to view and compare, and choose tables or charts
  • Flexible date ranges are available, beginning from 1996
  • Filter all the publications in your entities by an FOR code, or other subject classification scheme.

Which metrics are available?

SciVal allows you to view a huge range of metrics. Some that are often used to help create a narrative around research performance include:

  • H-Index
  • Author Field Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI)
  • Citations per publication
  • Publications in top citation percentiles
  • Outputs in top journal percentiles (of all journals in Scopus)
  • Outputs in top journal quartiles
  • Collaboration metrics - eg. number/percentage of outputs with international or industry collaboration
  • Number of citing countries.

More information and instructions

What is InCites and how is it related to Web of Science?

InCites is a benchmarking and research analytics product that uses the publications in the Web of Science database as its dataset. It provides a wide range of research metrics and the ability to create reports, compare, and benchmark many different types of entities. You will need to register and a log in (or use your existing Clarivate log in for Web of Science or Endnote Online) as it is dashboard style tool with a high level of customisation. Since InCites is based on Web of Science, it is very important to ensure your Publons profile, which provides you with a verified ResearcherID is up to date and tidy, and your affiliation is correct.

How to access InCites

  1. Access InCites through Web of Science, or from the Library A-Z Databases
  2. InCites is available to Deakin users, however, you will need to log in using a Web of Science account. This personal account is required as you will be setting up and saving preferences. If you have an account for Web of Science or EndNote, this will work. If not, click Register Now

How to run a researcher report

  1. Once you have logged in to InCites, scroll down to the InCites System Reports and select to Run a Researcher Report
  2. You will need to find the person you are running the report on by entering their Web of Science ResearcherID or their ORCID. You can find your ResearcherID on your Publons profile (this is why it is very useful to set up and maintain a Publons profile)
  3. A selection of reporting tiles are available, you can choose from them to create a custom report, which is downloadable.

Other ways to explore InCites

  1. Choose one of the explorers to view and filter InCites data by Researchers, Organisations, Locations, Research Areas, publication types, or Funding Agencies.
  2. Use the filters on the left hand side to filter to the data you are interested in
  3. Change the type of graph to display your chosen entities or metrics.

More information and instructions