Skip to Main Content

Research impact evidence

Guide to finding research impact evidence that may be used in research impact statements

Social impact

Improvements in the health of society, including the well-being of the end user and the community. This may include improved ability to access health care services, to participate socially (including empowerment and participation in decision making) and to quantify improvements in the health of society.
National Health and Medical Research Council

Evidence of social impact

Are any of your publications mentioned in policy documents?

  • Search for policies that have mentioned your publications via Altmetric
    Make sure to follow through to the policy document to see where it is from and what it is about

Are notable people, thought leaders or influencers referring to your work online?

  • Look at the Altmetric Attention to your publication and follow through to the detail of who and what people are saying

What news stories or press releases have mentioned your work?
Have news mentions to your work come from outlets with a (wide) audience/readership that may be likely to instigate change?

Do you have publications in outlets that are not 'scholarly' but reach audiences such as clinicians, practitioners or the general public?
For example, The Conversation

Have you conducted any events to educate people or promote beneficial change/behaviour change?

Are there any news stories or media reports on social changes arising from your research?

  • Try searching for your research output in Google News to see if it is appearing in any media
    Tip: search the title in inverted commas (e.g. "Wearable cardioverter-defibrillator after myocardial infarction") or by Digital Object Identifier (DOI 10.1136/bmj.k3786)