This EArly Grant for Exploratory Research (EAGER) award funds a preliminary investigation into the value of automatically-gathered software impact data. The investigation has three parts: a quantitative scoping study of automatically-retrieved impact metrics for software projects, a before-and-after survey of researcher attitudes and experiences with software impact metrics on their projects, and a qualitative analysis of real-world use of metrics in evaluation materials. Metrics will be collected using the open-source ImpactStory web application after improvements to its software impact tracking capabilities, including: agreements and code to text-mine the bulk of the scholarly literature, support for usage tracking (downloads, installations, conversation, and reverse dependencies), and presentation of an impact profile that integrates software with related research outputs.
This research aims improve the reusability of research software, helping to eliminate the wasted time, money, and opportunity spent on one-time-use software. If automatically-gathered metrics of software reuse prove valuable to researchers, these metrics will fill the current incentive gap between reusable software and career advancement. Researchers will invest in reusability, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of federal funding. As well as promoting reusability incentives, community engagement throughout this project will spur awareness, discussion, and engagement on the issue of software impact. Finally, all code and data in this project will be released openly (within bounds of provider agreements), supporting future research, development, and policy.
