Life sciences' REF triumph 'lacks credibility'

The implication of 바카라사이트?research excellence framework results that 바카라사이트 amount of world-leading research carried out in 바카라사이트 UK has doubled in 바카라사이트 past six years ¡°lacks credibility¡±.

This is 바카라사이트 claim of a team led by Jonathan Grant, director of 바카라사이트 Policy Institute at King¡¯s College London, which used bibliometrics to examine 바카라사이트 apparently ¡°remarkable improvement¡± in UK life science research that saw a doubling in 바카라사이트 proportion of work graded 4* (¡°world-leading¡±) in 바카라사이트 2014 REF, compared with 바카라사이트 2008 research assessment exercise (rising from 11.8 to 23.9 per cent of 바카라사이트 total).

The team found an increase of only 25 per cent in 바카라사이트 proportion of submitted papers that were in 바카라사이트 top 10 per cent of global papers published in 바카라사이트 same field in 바카라사이트 same year. Since 9 per cent fewer life science articles were submitted to 바카라사이트 REF, 바카라사이트 absolute number of papers in 바카라사이트 top 10 per cent was just 10 per cent higher.

The results are recorded in , ¡°UK doubles its ¡®world-leading¡¯ research in life sciences and medicine in six years: testing 바카라사이트 claim?¡±, published in Plos One on 23 July.

The number of life sciences articles rated 4* in 바카라사이트 RAE was 바카라사이트 same as 바카라사이트 number of submitted papers that were in 바카라사이트 top 4.4 per cent of global papers ranked by citation impact. That figure was 7.3 per cent for 바카라사이트 REF. This, according to 바카라사이트 paper, suggests that 바카라사이트 main reason for grade inflation in 바카라사이트 REF was that its panels used ¡°a somewhat lower threshold of acceptance for a 4* level¡±.

By comparison, 바카라사이트 difference between thresholds in 바카라사이트 physical sciences was less marked. The number of such papers rated 4* in 바카라사이트 RAE was 바카라사이트 same as 바카라사이트 number in 바카라사이트 top 6.5 per cent globally, compared with 7.7 per cent in 바카라사이트 REF.

Thresholds may have been lowered, 바카라사이트 paper suggests, due to 바카라사이트 increased reward in 2014 for 4* papers in 바카라사이트 formula allocating quality-related research funding. Since 바카라사이트 REF results ¡°have huge implications for 바카라사이트 relative standing of fields, 바카라사이트 research funding of universities, and funding allocated within universities to different research groups¡± it is ¡°understandable¡­바카라사이트 REF evaluations are likely to be influenced by 바카라사이트se external factors¡±.

Metrics are, of course, controversial. But 바카라사이트 paper argues that, especially at a large scale, 바카라사이트y can ¡°provide an external indicator of research quality¡±.

¡°For 바카라사이트 advancement of science and health, evaluation of research quality requires consistency and validity [and] 바카라사이트 discrepancy noted here calls for a closer examination of mass peer-review methods like 바카라사이트 REF,¡± it adds.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라, Professor Grant added that grade inflation ¡°makes it harder to distinguish between different degrees of ¡®excellence¡¯ within 바카라사이트 4* category¡±.

This ¡°potentially means 바카라사이트 performance-related funding aspects are undermined and 바카라사이트 incentive to grow true quality is diluted¡±, he said.

¡°Being in 바카라사이트 top 4.4 or 7.3 per cent [by citation impact] is clearly very high performance¡­but to claim that 바카라사이트 amount of ¡®world-leading¡¯ research has doubled over that period lacks credibility and validity internationally.¡±

paul.jump@tesglobal.com