The unintended consequences of task specialization in research careers

Researchers collaborate specializing in specific tasks. However, the research evaluation system only rewards specific profiles of researchers, threatening the diversity of the science ecosystem.

Nicolás Robinson-García, Rodrigo Costas, Cassidy R. Sugimoto, Vincent Larivière and Tina Nane • November 23, 2020

How important are bibliometrics in academic recruitment processes?

In a newly published paper in Minerva I have analyzed confidential reports from professor recruitments in four disciplines at the University of Oslo. In the paper I show how bibliometrics are used as a screening tool and not as a replacement for more traditional qualitative evaluation of candidates.

Ingvild Reymert • November 20, 2020

Evaluative Inquiry IV: Accountability and learning

Do research evaluations serve the purpose of accountability or of learning? We argue that they can do both and that we might as well use the energy and resources it takes to organize evaluations for both accountability and learning opportunities.

Tjitske Holtrop, Laurens Hessels and Ad Prins • November 05, 2020

Incorporating the human factor in the study of universities

University evaluation is done, in part, by evaluating the papers produced by the university. However, universities don’t produce papers, right? People produce papers! In this blogpost we illustrate how you can use the number of papers produced by individuals to evaluate universities.

Juan Pablo Bascur Cifuentes and Rodrigo Costas • October 28, 2020

Who benefits from science? A comment on Barry Bozeman’s ‘Public Value Science’

In a new article for Issues in S&T Barry Bozeman argues that current science policies benefit the rich more than the poor, thus reinforcing social inequalities. This blog post discusses his argument in the light of related views on how science can contribute to wider social well-being.

Ismael Rafols • September 22, 2020 • 1 comment

Where do scholars move? Measuring the mobility of researchers across academic institutions

The mobility of scientific human capital is a key channel for exchanging ideas and disseminating scientific knowledge. In this blog post, we demonstrate how scientometrics can help trace mobility patterns at the institutional level, using the Dimensions database.

Vít Macháček, Márcia R. Ferreira, Nicolás Robinson-García, Martin Srholec and Rodrigo Costas • September 03, 2020

Evaluative Inquiry III: Mixing methods for evaluating research

Critiques on research metrics have produced an unhelpful divide between quantitative and qualitative research methods. In this blogpost, we explain why research evaluation can benefit from the strengths of both.

Tjitske Holtrop, Laurens Hessels and Ad Prins • August 21, 2020

Consensus and dissensus in ‘mappings’ of science for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

A variety of ‘mappings’ of research on SDGs are being developed. A recent study shows that there are stark disagreements across some of these bibliometric ‘mappings’, raising concerns about their robustness. I argue here that this is due to different interpretations of the science relevant to SDGs.

Ismael Rafols • August 10, 2020

Evaluative Inquiry II: Evaluating research in context

We know that academic knowledge production happens in context, yet, when assessing research, we undervalue the influence of stakeholders and organizational contexts on academic output and impact. The second of four blogposts is on evaluating research in context.

Tjitske Holtrop, Laurens Hessels and Ad Prins • July 20, 2020

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