This paper presents the journal impact factor published by the Journal Citation Reports of the Web of Science, one of the most used bibliometric indicators in the evaluation of scientific activity and also one of the most controversial. We explain the method of calculation, its criticisms and other related indicators, such as the 5-year impact factor and the immediacy index. Other alternative indicators are also described, such as the Eigenfactor, the Scimago Journal and Country Rank, offered by the Scimago group based on data from the Scopus database, and the Source Normalized Impact per Paper, proposed by the Centre for Science and Technology Studies from the University of Leiden, in the Netherlands.

The scientists’ search behavior in their quest for scientific information has shift in recent years, increasing the use of Google Scholar as a main source of inquiry. Therefore, it is imperative to better understand how is possible to improve the findability of scientific production within this search engine. In the article, a selection of factors and communication actions are presented, so as to implement them in order to improve the online presence of pediatricians, supporting the online impact of their digital scientific production.

Responsible research & innovation, or RRI, is a discipline seeking that all stakeholders (researchers, citizens, policy makers, entrepreneurs, industry and the education sector) work together during the research and innovation process, anticipating and adapting to the needs of society. To that end, there are several techniques to help those scientists willing to make an impact onto society, to understand both peers and citizens interests, so that the resulting research can be more likely to be more cited by peers. In the present article it is proposed a technique to identify research topics and search terms adapted to the information needs of both citizens and peers, based on cybermetric indicators, in order to determine research emerging trends, prioritize scientific content, and establish ties with both society and other scientists.

Scientists have generally found on social media a valid platform to support their efforts to increase visibility of their scientific work between their peers. Pediatricians, in particular, can use social media with different objectives, depending on the social media or social network, in which they participate. Reasons why the pediatrician should participate in social media are studied, the differences between both types of social networks (vertical or scientific versus generalists) and how to estimate the likely audience in order to optimize the visibility efforts of pediatric professionals in both types, when networking. Some best practices in both categories are outlined as well.