We need negative metrics too

摘要

Research metrics are ambiguous — a paper may be cited for positive or negative reasons. Funding agencies and universities focus on positive impact in evaluatingresearch, which increasingly includes alternative metrics ('altmetrics'; see Nature 493,159 and Nature 495,437-440; 2013). We think that researchers can generate a more complete account of their impact by including seemingly negative indicators — such as confrontations with important people or legal action — as well as those that seem positive.