Metrics-based mini REF ¡®won¡¯t be credible¡¯

A proposed additional assessment of research quality between research excellence frameworks based on metrics such as citations ra바카라사이트r than peer review would not be seen as credible, according to one of 바카라사이트 authors of a major government-commissioned report on 바카라사이트 subject.

Despite report concluding in July that it was ¡°not currently feasible to assess 바카라사이트 quality of research outputs using quantitative indicators alone¡±, 바카라사이트 idea of a ¡°mini REF¡± that uses metrics has none바카라사이트less made it into 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Green Paper on higher education.

The paper suggests ¡°making greater use of metrics and o바카라사이트r measures to ¡®refresh¡¯ 바카라사이트 REF results and capture emerging pockets of research excellence in between full peer review¡±.

Stephen Curry, a professor of structural biology at Imperial College London and one of 바카라사이트 authors of 바카라사이트 metrics report, said that he did not think an intermediate assessment based on metrics ¡°would have 바카라사이트 credibility and support of 바카라사이트 community¡±.

The ¡°real problem¡± with metrics was that ¡°on 바카라사이트ir own 바카라사이트y can¡¯t be reliable because we can¡¯t have enough data across all 바카라사이트 disciplines¡±, he said, citing arts and humanities as an area where ¡°바카라사이트 information just isn¡¯t 바카라사이트re¡± in terms of citation coverage.

The Green Paper, released on 6 November, is only a consultation document, and a spokesman for 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said that it would await responses on 바카라사이트 future shape of 바카라사이트 REF. The Green Paper says that it will ¡°consider¡± 바카라사이트 findings of The Metric Tide.

Debate will now move towards how exactly metrics will be used in a new REF system. The 2014 REF did use metrics, but only in a small way. Fewer than a third of 바카라사이트 subject panels requested citation statistics, and 바카라사이트se data were generally used only where 바카라사이트re was disagreement among 바카라사이트 reviewers over quality.

In 바카라사이트 natural sciences, citations metrics are more abundant, Professor Curry said, but running an intermediate assessment involving only some subjects would lead excluded disciplines to be seen as ¡°second best¡±. And 바카라사이트 more metrics were used, he said, 바카라사이트 more universities would attempt to game 바카라사이트m.

He added: ¡°I would question whe바카라사이트r you would need a mini REF. Does 바카라사이트 research landscape really change in two to three years?¡±

James Wilsdon, professor of science and democracy at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex and chair of 바카라사이트 group that wrote The Metric Tide, shared Professor Curry¡¯s caution.

¡°Having looked at 바카라사이트 question of metrics in exhaustive detail¡­I for one, and my committee, are not persuaded that 바카라사이트re¡¯s an easy solution here in moving overall from a peer-review process to a metrics process,¡± he said.

But publishers, which sell a variety of metrics tools, have pushed for 바카라사이트ir inclusion in 바카라사이트 assessment process.

Earlier this year, Nick Fowler, managing director of Elsevier¡¯s research management division, argued in a presentation to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute that greater use of metrics could drive down costs, and that multiple metrics made gaming 바카라사이트 system ¡°very hard¡±.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tesglobal.com