There are five different ways in which data can be visualized (not all of these are present in all Dimensions versions), as well as a results list being displayed:

  • bar chart
  • timeline
  • heatmap
  • geomap
  • compare

The bar chart visual displays the number of results for each research category using the Fields of Research (FoR) classification system (and others, in Dimensions Analytics only). Clicking on the displayed top-level FoR group will then produce the lower level 4-digit FoR classifications.


The timeline visual displays the trend in the results for the last ten years, and new categories/funders etc. can be added or removed at the bottom.

The time range displayed on the timeline graph can also be changed, as seen below.

The heatmap visual displays a grid of two different elements in a topic area, such as funder and research organisation, related to the area of the search.

The geomap shows the geographical distribution of the results in a results list, and can be viewed on a global scale, or in Canada, USA and Australia on a state/territory basis.

The compare function shows a direct comparison between two research organizations or funders across one of the standard classification systems, restricted to just the results from the search.