The most significant difference between COUNTER 4 and COUNTER 5 is the reduction in the number of reports and usage metrics. This allows for clarity and consistency across reports removing some of the ambiguity around usage reporting.
Under COUNTER Release 5 (R5), there is a longer elapsed time for user sessions which may cause higher deduplication of download activity by the same user. In COUNTER Release 4, a user could return to a previously accessed content page and have it counted twice, whereas in R5 it may only be counted once.
In COUNTER R5 there is a possibility of more deduplication causing slightly lower reported user activity which could be recorded as either an investigation or request depending on the content type.
To find out more, please see Where can I find more information on the COUNTER Release 5 Code of Practice?
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