This chapter explains why researchers should become aware and knowledgeable of metrics used for research evaluation or, in other words, should become metric-wise. Metrics and indicators are by themselves just artefacts, but can become useful instruments when combined with a mental scheme. After explaining the various kinds of metrics studied in the information sciences—i.e., informetrics, bibliometrics, scientometrics, and altmetrics—the chapter gives a few examples of topics studied in informetrics and relates informetrics to metrics in other fields of science. Finally, a number of basic mathematical concepts that are used further on in the book are explained.
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