Methods for mapping the impact of social sciences and humanities - a literature review

This article explores the current literature on 'research impact' in the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH). By providing a comprehensive review of available literature, drawing on national and international experiences, we seek to examine key methods and frameworks used to assess research impact. We take a systemic look at the impact agenda within the social sciences and humanities by examining key methodological components used in research impact frameworks discussing advantages and disadvantages of each method. The study finds that research impact is a highly complex and contested concept in in the SSH literature. Drawing on the strong methodological pluralism emerging in the literature, we conclude that there is considerable room for researchers, universities and funding agencies to establish impact assessment tools directed towards specific missions while avoiding catch-all indicators and universal metrics