What You'll Learn:
- What defines R1 research excellence
- How linked data connects the research ecosystem
- How connected scholarship elevates institutional impact
What Defines R1 Research Excellence
In academia, R1 status, “Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity,” as classified by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, represents the highest level of research intensity and impact. It’s not simply a label; it’s a reflection of an institution’s commitment to advancing knowledge, fostering discovery, and driving innovation across disciplines.
R1 universities are distinguished by:
- Research Productivity: High output of scholarly publications, data, and citations across a wide range of fields.
- Funding and Resources: Access to extensive research grants and institutional support that sustain large-scale, collaborative projects.
- Global Reputation: Recognition for innovation, thought leadership, and contributions that address pressing societal challenges.
To maintain this standing, R1 institutions must continuously strengthen their research infrastructure, from data interoperability to global discovery systems. That’s where scholarly databases like the EBSCO Ultimate Databases and linked data frameworks become essential.
Connecting the R1 Research Ecosystem Through Linked Data
At research-intensive universities, success depends on uniting diverse sources of knowledge into a single, connected ecosystem. This is made possible by EBSCO’s Ultimate Databases, enhanced by linked-data architecture and powered by the EBSCO Scholarly Graph (ESG) to transform content into context and data into meaningful discovery.
EBSCO’s linked open data architecture enables:
- Transparent, machine-readable and web-enabled connections between authors, institutions, and publications
- Seamless integration with identifiers like DOIs and ORCID IDs
- Discovery experiences aligned with the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable)
Built on trusted metadata, these connections form the foundation of modern research interoperability, empowering scholars to navigate seamlessly across disciplines, datasets, and global collaborations.
Advancing Interdisciplinary and Global Research
R1 research thrives at the intersections of disciplines and across borders. EBSCO’s Ultimate Databases unite the world’s most comprehensive, globally sourced full-text collections with linked data–driven context, creating an environment where insights from around the globe can be discovered, compared, and applied across fields and frontiers.
Newly available on EBSCOhost and EBSCO Discovery Service, EBSCO’s set of linked data functionality includes Citation Discovery, Retractions and Recommendations that allow researchers to:
- Follow the evolution and iterations of an idea through citations and references.
- Quickly identify flawed research while still accessing the complete scholarly record.
- Find additional materials of relevance and interest.
- Explore connections between fields, whether environmental science and policy, healthcare and technology, or economics and sustainability.
EBSCO Ultimate databases will enable even more linked data capabilities through People Pages, also powered by the EBSCO Scholarly Graph. Coming soon to EBSCO Discovery Service and exclusively through the EBSCO Ultimate Databases, including Academic Search Ultimate, Business Source Ultimate, CINAHL Ultimate, MEDLINE Ultimate, and more, People Pages help researchers gain a deeper understanding of scholarly influence -- who’s publishing, who’s citing, and how ideas spread.
Enhancing Research Visibility and Institutional Impact
A networked approach to research through linked data supports open science and enhances the visibility of institutional works, ensuring that discoveries made within one department can inform breakthroughs across the university and beyond.
For libraries and research offices, these insights translate into:
- Richer metrics for research assessment and accreditation reporting.
- Increased engagement with library-licensed content.
- Stronger alignment with institutional goals for research visibility and reputation.
Behind the scenes, EBSCO ensures that every author, citation, and institution is connected through curated, verifiable relationships. The result is a research environment where discovery is not just possible; it’s intelligent, contextual, and globally integrated.
Building the Future of Connected Scholarship
EBSCO Discovery Service and EBSCO Ultimate database collections offer R1 institutions far more than access to world-class content. They deliver a linked data-powered research framework that scales with institutional goals for open science, interdisciplinary collaboration, and global impact.
By connecting authoritative coverage with diverse global perspectives, EBSCO enables R1 institutions to do what they do best: turn research into innovation and innovation into societal progress.
