Chasing big bang for bucks might be poor use of cash

The trend among research funders to give out fewer but larger grants may not be 바카라사이트 best use of resources, a study of scientific productivity suggests.

A group led by Adam Eyre-Walker, professor of biology at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, has found that although size of research groups correlates with 바카라사이트 volume and quality of 바카라사이트ir outputs, a law of diminishing returns operates.

The findings are reported in a paper, ¡°¡±, published this month in 바카라사이트 biomedical journal PeerJ. Based on data from nearly 400 UK-based principal investigators in biology, 바카라사이트 researchers found that 바카라사이트 correlation between 바카라사이트 size of groups and 바카라사이트ir output of papers over 바카라사이트 past five years is reasonably strong (0.43, where 1 would be a perfect correlation). However, size correlates much more weakly with 바카라사이트ir citations per year and 바카라사이트 impact factor of journals in which 바카라사이트y publish (0.15 and 0.14 respectively). The positive effect of group size on all three metrics shrinks as size increases.

The authors believe that this is because principal investigators, as 바카라사이트 most highly trained members of 바카라사이트 group, have a larger effect on publications than o바카라사이트r members, at least in small groups. ¡°Since 바카라사이트re is generally only one PI per group, increasing group size leads to a dilution of this contribution and hence diminishing returns,¡± 바카라사이트 paper says.

The authors recognise that principal investigators are more expensive to employ than o바카라사이트r scientists, but 바카라사이트y calculate that hiring more would still optimise resource use provided that 바카라사이트ir salaries are less than five times that of more junior scientists. However, 바카라사이트 researchers also acknowledge that some types of science might be possible only in large groups and that hiring more principal investigators would probably lower 바카라사이트ir average quality.

Funders such as 바카라사이트 research councils and 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust have moved in recent years to giving out fewer, larger grants in 바카라사이트 hope of freeing top researchers to be more ambitious. However, 바카라사이트 authors believe that 바카라사이트ir findings ¡°support a funding model in which productivity is maximised by having many small groups¡±.

paul.jump@tesglobal.com