[Irtalk] Bibliometrics: The Leiden Manifesto for research metrics

[Ina Smith]

We appear to have declarations and manifestos in abundance at the moment! Another new proposal is the Leiden Manifesto which espouses a return to science metrics sanity - yes please!

This Nature news article entitled "Bibliometrics: The Leiden Manifesto for research metrics: use these ten principles to guide research evaluation, urge Diana Hicks, Paul Wouters, Ludo Waltman, Sarah de Rijcke & Ismael Rafols" clearly lays out the arguments. See link below.

Here are their ten principles for the measurement of research performance, the article gives a nice summary of each one:

1) Quantitative evaluation should support qualitative, expert assessment.
2) Measure performance against the research missions of the institution, group or researcher.
3) Protect excellence in locally relevant research.
4) Keep data collection and analytical processes open, transparent and simple.
5) Allow those evaluated to verify data and analysis.
6) Account for variation by field in publication and citation practices.
7) Base assessment of individual researchers on a qualitative judgement of their portfolio.
8) Avoid misplaced concreteness and false precision.
9) Recognize the systemic effects of assessment and indicators.
10) Scrutinize indicators regularly and update them.

The world would indeed be a better place if we could move towards the adoption (preferably rapidly) of these principles.

http://www.nature.com/news/bibliometrics-the-leiden-manifesto-for-research-metrics-1.17351

Ina Smith
SciELO Planning Manager
Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)

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Email: ina at assaf.org.za<mailto:ina at assaf.org.za>

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