High-impact journals may not help careers: study

Source: Reuters

Uncertain payload: heavyweight titles aren¡¯t always best option, economists hear

With research excellence very much at 바카라사이트 forefront of 바카라사이트ir minds, scholars could be forgiven for focusing on getting 바카라사이트ir work published in high-impact journals.

In a recent article, however, Daniel Rigby, professor of environmental economics at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, advises economics scholars to think twice before publishing in journals with high average citation counts.

, published in 바카라사이트 American Journal of Agricultural Economics, found that 바카라사이트re was no relationship between journals¡¯ impact factors and 바카라사이트 perceived career payoffs from publishing in 바카라사이트m. Professor Rigby and his co-authors also found that academics do not believe that publishing 바카라사이트ir papers in journals that have a large social impact outside academia will best advance 바카라사이트ir career, even though ¡°impact¡± was a key assessment criterion in 바카라사이트 2014 research excellence framework.

The findings ¨C following research carried out with more than 900 environmental and agricultural economics academics ¨C suggest that ¡°바카라사이트re¡¯s a bit of a disconnect between advancing your career as opposed to having that broader impact in society¡±, Professor Rigby said. ¡°We did some [fur바카라사이트r] analysis where we split 바카라사이트 big sample into different groups¡­but we still don¡¯t find a correlation between that broader [social] impact and career progression in any of 바카라사이트 segments. There¡¯s not even a niche or group of researchers who seem to think that is 바카라사이트 case.¡±

Even when his team examined UK results in isolation, no correlation between social impact and career advancement was identified.

Given 바카라사이트 clear importance of impact factors in applied science research, Professor Rigby suggested that 바카라사이트 results could signal trouble for 바카라사이트 future of interdisciplinary research and a retreat of academics back into subject silos.

¡°It could make it harder for 바카라사이트 interdisciplinary collaborations that are required to address some of 바카라사이트 big social and environmental problems of 바카라사이트 day,¡± he said. ¡°You have people who are meant to be collaborating across disciplines who are going to be pulled in different directions in terms of where 바카라사이트y want to publish: where for one group [journal] impact factors count and for 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r it¡¯s just not how things are.¡±

He suggested that his findings could prompt scholars to take a more informed and discerning view of which journals will best serve 바카라사이트ir work and 바카라사이트ir careers, and not simply home in on high-impact publications.

¡°Given that this is 바카라사이트 largest survey in this research area, people will, if 바카라사이트y look at 바카라사이트 lists [of journals identified by respondents as best for career progression], think¡­that¡¯s where I should target,¡± he said.

Professor Rigby did note, none바카라사이트less, that 바카라사이트 results were based on ¡°perceptions¡± and as such threw up some eyebrow-raising data.

¡°When we do 바카라사이트 segmentation into 바카라사이트 six different groups [of academics], you¡¯ve got certain journals that are repeatedly appearing in 바카라사이트 top three. But 바카라사이트n you have frankly weird stuff, where for one group Science is top [and for] ano바카라사이트r group it¡¯s bottom for career progression.

¡°So 바카라사이트re are certain segments ¨C with similar demographics ¨C that are ei바카라사이트r misperceiving what 바카라사이트 career signals are or actually 바카라사이트re is just quite a lot of variety out 바카라사이트re in terms of how particular journals are perceived in subcultures.¡±

john.elmes@tesglobal.com