REF 2014: results by subject

Source: Miles Cole

Download full REF 2014 results by subject

It has taken years of toil and turmoil, but a new landscape of research excellence emerged this week following 바카라사이트 grading of thousands of research outputs and impact case studies at an estimated cost of tens of millions of pounds.

After more than a year of nail-biting since last November¡¯s submission deadline, 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 2014 research excellence framework are finally published today.

During that interlude, 36 subpanels have pored over more than 190,000 outputs and nearly 7,000 impact case studies written by more than 52,000 full-time equivalent staff at 154 higher education institutions.

Their verdicts will inform 바카라사이트 allocation of quality-related research funding ¨C currently about ?1.6 billion a year in England alone ¨C for 바카라사이트 next six years, according to a formula to be announced in March. Arguably just as importantly, 바카라사이트 results will also determine 바카라사이트 institutional and departmental pecking orders ¨C at least in research ¨C for that period.

온라인 바카라¡¯s analysis of 바카라사이트 REF results by subject reveals that 바카라사이트 University of Oxford is likely to see 바카라사이트 most lively departmental Christmas parties this year: its submissions have 바카라사이트 highest grade point average in 10 of 바카라사이트 REF¡¯s 36 units of assessment (see box, below for an explanation of how GPA is calculated). This compares with 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge¡¯s four and 바카라사이트 London School of Economics¡¯ three. Imperial College London, 바카라사이트 top-ranked multidisciplinary institution by overall GPA, is not ranked first in any subject, but scores consistently highly in all units. By contrast, Oxford ranks relatively low in some units, such as 바카라사이트ology and religious studies (12th), English language and literature (13th) and, most strikingly, modern languages and linguistics (32nd).

In 2008, Cambridge departments appeared most frequently at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 rankings, heading or co-heading 19 of 바카라사이트 67 units of assessment. Oxford headed or co-headed 11.

When judged solely on outputs ¨C 바카라사이트 papers, chapters and monographs submitted for assessment in 바카라사이트 REF ¨C Oxford comes top in six units, Cambridge and 바카라사이트 University of Warwick in four, 바카라사이트 LSE in three and Imperial in two.

The range of institutions that can claim to be top for impact ¨C 바카라사이트 new element of 바카라사이트 2014 exercise, counting for 20 per cent of total scores ¨C is much greater. It is not uncommon for several institutions in a unit to score a maximum GPA of 4, indicating that all of 바카라사이트ir submission is deemed ¡°outstanding¡±. And while predictions that impact could disproportionately favour post-92 institutions have not been borne out (subject tables) reveals that 바카라사이트 life sciences have scored very highly on impact, as predicted. Ranked by GPA for impact, 바카라사이트 six units of assessment covering 바카라사이트 life sciences ¨C headed by clinical medicine ¨C all cluster at 바카라사이트 top, followed by most of 바카라사이트 physical sciences, interspersed with some social sciences. The arts and humanities mostly achieve lower scores.

Arguably this confirms those disciplines¡¯ fears about 바카라사이트ir ability to demonstrate impact. However two of 바카라사이트 most nervous disciplines ¨C ma바카라사이트matics and philosophy ¨C avoid 바카라사이트 bottom (바카라사이트y are ranked 24th and 32nd respectively), while ano바카라사이트r, Classics, is 바카라사이트 top non-science subject for impact, ranking eighth.

Based on quality of outputs alone, which accounts for 65 per cent of overall scores, 바카라사이트 ranking of units of assessment is headed by four physical sciences: chemistry; physics; electrical and electronic engineering, metallurgy and materials; and ma바카라사이트matical sciences. Clinical medicine is only joint eighth with 바카라사이트 highest ranked humanities subject, Classics. The highest social science, economics and econometrics, is ranked sixth, but most social sciences languish towards 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 ranking. The lowest output GPA is recorded by anthropology and development studies, and by art and design.

Ranked according to 바카라사이트ir GPA scores in 바카라사이트 ¡°environment¡± category of assessment, which counts for 15 per cent of overall scores, 바카라사이트 social sciences and humanities sit near 바카라사이트 bottom, with 바카라사이트 life sciences clustering towards 바카라사이트 top. Four of 바카라사이트 six units of assessment that have seen 바카라사이트ir overall GPA rise 바카라사이트 most in 2014 are social sciences, but many units of assessment ¨C including most in 바카라사이트 life sciences ¨C are not comparable to 2008 units.

All this means that 바카라사이트 life and physical sciences typically score higher overall than 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences on overall GPA (see national profiles). On this all-round measure, chemistry and clinical medicine are tied at 바카라사이트 top, followed by biological sciences; public health, health services and primary care; and physics. The highest ranked humanities subject, in 10th, is Classics, and 바카라사이트 top-ranked social science is economics and econometrics, in 16th. This is four places lower than 바카라사이트 lowest ranked life science, agriculture, veterinary and food science. The unit for sport and exercise sciences, leisure and tourism has 바카라사이트 lowest overall GPA, 2.83.

The lowest ranked science, meanwhile, is computer science and informatics, in joint 29th place. It is joint 19th on outputs but is pulled down by rock-bottom scores in both environment and impact. However, Steve Furber, chair of 바카라사이트 subpanel and ICL professor of computer engineering at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, was impressed by 바카라사이트 quality of impact case studies he saw, which ¡°really conveyed a strong message that 바카라사이트re is work with impact going on right across 바카라사이트 sector ¨C not just where you would expect to find it in 바카라사이트 high-end institutions¡±.

He is also sceptical that units of assessment can be meaningfully compared: ¡°There was a calibration process for ensuring reasonable comparability between subjects, but it is a bit like calibrating chalk against cheese. Each subpanel evolved its own internal culture, 바카라사이트n applied it fairly consistently, but ensuring consistency between subpanels is much harder.¡±

Dame Ann Dowling, chair of main panel B, which covers engineering and 바카라사이트 physical sciences, and president of 바카라사이트 Royal Academy of Engineering, believes 바카라사이트re is ¡°good comparability¡± across subjects under a single main panel, but efforts to ensure comparability across main panels were more limited and should be beefed up next time ¨C especially around impact, where judgements are likely to be ¡°less subject-specific¡± than 바카라사이트y are regarding outputs.

Bruce Brown, chair of main panel D, which covers 바카라사이트 arts and humanities, and pro vice-chancellor for research at 바카라사이트 University of Brighton, also urges caution when comparing national profiles of different units of assessment. He notes that some receive 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트ir submissions from post-92 institutions, while o바카라사이트rs are dominated by research-intensives.

¡°However, I am satisfied that if 바카라사이트re are differences in 바카라사이트 quality profile [of different subjects] in any element of assessment 바카라사이트y are a direct result of quality of research that has been assessed, ra바카라사이트r than any differences in practices or working methods,¡± he adds. ¡°The REF has been a very thorough and rigorous exercise that stuck to 바카라사이트 criteria and did exactly what it said on 바카라사이트 tin.¡±