2021 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Altmetrics mentioned in WeChat articles: Evolution, topic, context and comparison with scholarly publications
AUTHOR
Houqiang Yu, Longfei Li
ABSTRACT
[Purpose/Significance] The purpose is to explore the use of WeChat official accounts articles (referred to as WeChat articles) as a type of Chinese altmetrics data source, and reveal the attention and discussion surrounding altmetrics in the social media environment, as well as discover the similarities and dissimilarities compared to that of scholarly publications. [Methodology/Procedure] Using WeChat articles that are relevant to altmetrics as the research object, statistical analysis, quantitative analysis, and text mining were used to explore the pattern of attention and discussion of altmetrics in WeChat articles. Meanwhile, scholarly publications of altmetrics were collected for scientometric analysis. The similarities and dissimilarities as regards the degree of attention, topic distribution and developing trend were compared between these two datasets. [Results / Conclusions] (1) Number of WeChat articles that mention altmetrics is increasing rapidly, although there is a time lag between the first WeChat article and the first scholarly publication of altmetrics. (2) Types of WeChat official accounts that pay attention to altmetrics are very diversified and go beyond the academia. (3) WeChat articles relevant to altmetrics mainly focus on 4 topics, i.e. the introduction of the latest publications of altmetrics, information of relevant scholarly activities and scholarly meetings, informetrics research and scientific evaluation that involve altmetrics, and introduction of altmetrics monographs. (4) Four major types of context where altmetrics is mentioned by WeChat articles are identified. They are to introduce the concept, theory, knowledge system, and technical methods of altmetrics, to discuss the data sources and research objects of altmetrics, to discuss the construction and application of altmetrics indicators, and to discuss the meaning and value of altmetrics. (5) In contrast, scholarly publications of altmetrics are more centered on systematic research, including the theories of altmetrics, the construction of altmetrics indicators, the application of altmetrics indicators, impact evaluation, and the relationship between altmetrics and traditional informetrics. These results are useful for further developing the Chinese altmetrics data source and understanding the relationship between altmetrics and bibliometrics.
KEYWORDS
Altmetrics; Social Media; WeChat Official Accounts; WeChat; Altmetrics Indicator