Halt the h-index

Using the h-index in research evaluation? Rather not. But why not, actually? Why is using this indicator so problematic? And what are the alternatives anyway? Our authors walk you through an infographic that addresses these questions and aims to highlight some key issues in this discussion.

Sarah de Rijcke, Ludo Waltman and Thed van Leeuwen • May 19, 2021 • 2 comments

Research evaluation in context 4: the practice of research evaluation

The Strategy Evaluation Protocol describes a forward-looking evaluation for which research organisations are responsible. Context, aims and strategy of units are key. Very timely and relevant, yet it is easier said than done.

Leonie van Drooge • May 12, 2021

On my way to studying collaboration in PhD training networks

Scientific collaboration is an important part of conducting research. In this blog post, I would like to introduce my PhD topic as part of the Train2Wind ITN (Innovative Training Network) at the University of Copenhagen.

Grischa Fraumann • May 04, 2021

Doing science in times of crisis: Science studies perspectives on COVID-19 (1st & 2nd edition)

The webinar series "Doing science in times of crisis: Science studies perspectives on COVID-19" started on 20 May 2020 during the early stages of the pandemic. The goal of this event is to connect and showcase COVID-19 science studies research from institutions around the world.

Grischa Fraumann, Giovanni Colavizza, Ludo Waltman and Zohreh Zahedi • March 30, 2021

Utrecht lunch walks: an initiative to cope with remote working

Working from home can be a lonely experience. Sometimes, you just wish to have a ‘real’ chat with a colleague. Therefore, the CWTS-colleagues from the city of Utrecht started experimenting with socially distant lunch walks. It turns out – this is going pretty well!

Carole de Bordes • March 16, 2021

Visualising quantitative data with VOSviewer will widen your research projects

VOSviewer is a well-known and widely used software tool visualising quantitative data. Learning to use all VOSviewer’s features through guided instruction was an exceptional and new experience for us. In this post, we share some of our recent experiences in mastering our science mapping skills.

Eleonora Dagiene and Qianqian Xie • March 08, 2021

Research evaluation in context 3: The board, the research unit and the assessment committee

What is the procedure for the evaluation of academic research? What are the roles and responsibilities of those involved? This is the 3rd post in a series on research evaluation in the Netherlands and is dedicated to the Strategy Evaluation Protocol 2021-2027.

Leonie van Drooge • March 04, 2021

Bona Fide Journals - Creating a predatory-free academic publishing environment

Predatory journals pose a significant problem to academic publishing. In the past, a number of attempts have been made to identify them. This blog post presents a novel approach towards a predatory-free academic publishing landscape: Bona Fide Journals.

Leo Waaijers, Ludo Waltman, Saskia de Vries, Thed van Leeuwen and Nees Jan van Eck • March 02, 2021 • 3 comments

Attention for science in step with policy? The case of school closures during COVID-19

The closing and opening of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic caused much debate. How was scientific evidence used in the ensuing public discussion? Our authors searched for evidence in the news and on Twitter and looked at three countries in particular: the Netherlands, Spain, and South Africa.

Jonathan Dudek, François van Schalkwyk, Rodrigo Costas, Daniel Torres-Salinas, Nicolás Robinson-García and Tina Nane • February 25, 2021