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Research Impact

1. Author Name Consistency

Author name consistency with an icon with an icon of a personMaintaining a consistent form of your name is key in distinguishing your research and publishing from the work of others.

E.g., Always using Henry Zhang, not intermixing H. Zhang and Henry Zhang in different papers. 

2. Use Unique Authorship Identifiers

ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID)

Provides a persistent digital identifier that distinguishes researchers from one another.

Web of Science ResearcherID

A unique identifier by Clarivate Analytics that allows researchers to manage their publication lists and avoid author misidentification. The Researcher ID can be linked to ORCID.

Scopus Author Identifier

Unique identifier used in SCOPUS, published by Elsevier. The SCOPUS Author ID can be linked to ORCID.

Unique identifiers help consolidate your publications under one author profile (e.g., use ORCiD, ResearchID, Scopus Author Identifier).

3. University of Alberta Author Affiliation

UAlberta logo greenUse University of Alberta as your affiliation/location for all publishing, journals, or grant agencies. Ensure your research is credited to you and linked to the University of Alberta.

(E.g., SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR submissions.)

4. Decide Where to Publish

Where you publish will affect your research visibility (how much it is read, cited, etc.) Our Identifying Appropriate Journals for Publication guide will give you the knowledge to wisely choose where to publish your work.

  • Open Access Journals are important to consider when publishing because they are more accessible than journals requiring paid subscriptions.

Screenshot of the main page of the Identifying Appropriate Journals for Publication page

5. Choose a Strong Title and Keywords

magnifying glass iconUsing search engine optimization (SEO) principles can help rank your work higher in search results. Try the following strategies:

  • Title: Keep the title short and concise (e.g., 7-8 words) and include keywords related to the topic.
  • Abstract: Place essential findings at the beginning of the abstract, and use your keywords 3-6 times.
  • Headings: Incorporate keywords into your headings.
  • Text: Use keywords throughout the text; make sure they are a natural part of the text and context.

6. Add Your Research to a Repository

Deposit Your Published Work

Adding your work to a repository can make it easier to find, which can increase its impact. Many publishers allow you to add a version of your article to a repository, like the University of Alberta Library's Education and Research Archive (ERA). You can also add conference presentation slides and other types of documents.

Deposit Your Data

Consider adding your research data to a repository such as Dataverse. This allows other researchers to view and potentially use and cite your data. To learn more about data repositories, visit Archive my Research Data.

7. Share and Promote Your Research

Share iconWhether you're in the middle of a research project or have just published an article or a book, you can share and promote your research to connect with a wider audience. For example:

  • Present preliminary findings at conferences.
  • Use networking opportunities such as conferences to discuss your work and make new connections.
  • Participate in media interviews about your research.
  • Post about your research on social media (e.g., 10 tips for tweeting research).