Towards a second generation of ‘social media metrics’: Characterizing Twitter communities of attention around science

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216408
• Publication Date: 2019-05-22T17:29:19Z
• Authors: Adrián A. Díaz-Faes; Timothy D. Bowman; Rodrigo Costas
• Keywords: Visibility; Scope (computer science)

'Social media metrics' are bursting into science studies as emerging new measures of impact related to scholarly activities. However, their meaning and scope metrics is still far from being grasped. This research seeks shift focus the consideration social around mere indicators confined analysis use visibility publications on interaction circulation scientific knowledge across different communities attention, particularly that can also be used characterize these communities. Although recent efforts have proposed tentative typologies users, no study has empirically examined full range Twitter user's behavior within disclosed latent dimensions in which activity classified. To do so, we draw overall users interacting with objects collected Altmetic.com database. Data over 1.3 million unique accounting for 14 tweets publications, analyzed. Based an exploratory confirmatory factor analysis, four identified: 'Science Engagement', Media Capital', Activity' Focus'. Evidence predominant type by each provided means VOSviewer term maps profile descriptions. breaks ground systematic characterization users' science.