Complete Guide to ResearchGate (Facebook for Scientists)

Research Gate, the social network of scientists
ResearchGate (https://www.researchgate.net), is a free social network for scientists and researchers who consider it "Facebook for scientists". This network was launched in 2008 with the aim of providing a set of tools for collaboration, sharing knowledge and creating a work and discovery network among scientists. Discovery, communication and collaboration are the main goals of this social network. The message that the ResearchGate social network itself has placed on its front page indicates this goal: "Discover scientific knowledge and make yourself visible to others." Many researchers and scientists use this social network to establish their position as an expert in a specific scientific field. Among the facilities that this network provides to researchers are: effective and efficient cooperation with each other, introduction of researchers through university profiles, networking and communication, staying up-to-date, working on joint projects, following articles. Others and yourself, following questions and answers, comparing answers and referring articles. Researchgate has been classified as research information sites. These sites provide facilities for the researcher to stay up-to-date with the news of the network and his research field, allow him to create a specialized profile, obtain information about the interests and current works of the researcher, as well as track other users who work in his field of activity. make it possible

Research Gate capabilities
ResearchGate provides its members with a number of tools and facilities for global scientific collaboration. Registration in this network is free. This network is not limited to a specific field and researchers from all fields can register in this network. After registration, the researcher can share the titles of his works, fields of interest and skills with other researchers through his specialized profile. This network has connections with other social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, so any person can communicate with Researchgate through the profile available in these networks.

Another feature of this network is the membership of researchers in specialized groups and the creation of new thematic groups. There are specialized groups called Projects. According to their research field, researchers can join the groups available in the network and discuss and exchange opinions with the members of these groups. There is no limit to the number of groups a researcher can join.

Sometimes it is possible that several researchers would like to work together on a topic privately and discuss with each other. This feature is possible through the possibility of forming a private group in the Researchgate network. By creating a project, the researcher invites people who are willing to work collaboratively with him on the desired project. This invitation is done by sending a message. After creating a private group, people can work collaboratively on the project and share information with each other without time and place restrictions.

Searching for research jobs and conferences in the researcher's work field are other possibilities of this network for researchers. In the events section, the researcher can access the information of conferences, meetings, workshops, etc., which are classified according to the subject.

It is possible to search based on the name of the researcher, the name of the organization and the subject in this system. ResearchGate has developed its semantic search engine in such a way that it allows simultaneous search in several databases such as PubMed, in such a way that it is possible to view the abstract and also download the full text of the articles.

Operational definition
Number of articles: The total number of articles uploaded by the researcher is in the profile of each researcher.

Research Gate rank: It is a score that the Research Gate network assigns to each researcher, university or institute by its own algorithm. Four factors are important to determine the amount of this score; Questions, Answers, Followers and Authors.

Followers: The total number of users that the user approves. The meaning of following is to follow the activities of other researchers by the user.

Followers: The total number of users who follow the user. The meaning of following is to track activities.

View count: The total number of times each researcher's articles are viewed.

Number of downloads: The total number of times each researcher's articles are downloaded.

The number of citations to articles: is the total number of times that each researcher's articles are cited.

Research Gate registration guide
To register in the Research Gate system, first enter the following address:

https://www.researchgate.net