Influencing factors of Twitter mentions of scientific papers

Abstract

Purpose: This paper explores some influencing factors of Twitter mentions of scientific research. The results can help to understand the relationships between various altmetrics. Design/methodology/approach: Data on research mentions in Altmetric and a multiple linear regression analysis are used. Findings: Among the variables analyzed, the number of mainstream news is the factor that most influences the number of mentions on Twitter, followed by the fact of dealing with a highly topical issue such as COVID-19. The influence is weaker in the case of expert recommendations and the consolidation of knowledge in the form of a review. The lowest influence corresponds to both the public policies through references in reports, and to citations in Wikipedia, while mentions in patent applications does not have a significant influence. Research limitations: A specific field was studied in a specific time frame. Studying other fields and/or different time periods might result in different findings. Practical implications: Governments increasingly push researchers toward activities with societal impact and this study can help understand how different factors affect social media attention. Originality/value: Understanding social media attention of research is essential when implementing societal impact indicators.