Defining Altmetrics Visualization Space

Visualizations used to represent traditional citation measures can be generally categorized in two categories. The first category contains basic visualizations that are adaptations of basic bar and line graphs[1][4]. The second category involves graph diagrams that have been extensively used for analysis of citation networks [5][7]. The altmetric indicators offer alternative measures that reflect the multidimensional nature of scholarly impact. More alternatives bring more complexity. Analysing altmetric indicators, how they correlate with one another and how they can influence scientometric measures are challenging tasks which lack visual mechanisms to support them. We carry out a preliminary study of existing visualizations in the citation analysis and altmetric space and then define the altmetrics visualization space in term of dimensions and metastructures. We study the dimensions of time, similarity, and collection under the metastructures of impact, evolution, context and complexity. We also study different currently used visualizations and how they fit in our space. Finally, we introduce our altmetrics analysis prototype with its current visualizationsandexpansionpossibilities.