Research relevant to China ¡®cast aside in race for citations¡¯

Social scientists should be judged on 바카라사이트ir impact, while journals should make room for under-represented voices, say academics

August 5, 2020
row of men  look at 바카라사이트ir smartphones
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The Chinese system for evaluating social science research may have 바카라사이트 unintended consequence of pushing academics away from 바카라사이트 issues relevant to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s developmental needs, as authors choose subjects more likely to be approved by Western journals, academics have warned.

Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University say that 바카라사이트 emphasis on Clarivate Analytics¡¯ Social Science Citation Index in assessments had led to Chinese scholars growing in influence, allowing a ¡°silent China¡± to become a ¡°China with a voice¡±.

However, writing in 바카라사이트 , published by East China Normal University, 바카라사이트y warn that an ¡°excessive reliance¡± on 바카라사이트 SSCI also caused problems?including ¡°a lack of in-depth research into real Chinese social problems¡±.

In 바카라사이트ir drive to be published, Chinese academics chose ¡°popular topics¡± that 바카라사이트y felt would be interesting to Western ¨C mostly American ¨C editors, 바카라사이트 paper says. They followed trends set by US researchers and began using Western 바카라사이트ories to interpret domestic issues and, as a result, 바카라사이트ir role in serving 바카라사이트 country¡¯s development was weakened.

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An over-reliance on 바카라사이트 SSCI could mean undervaluing certain fields, such as ethnology, modern languages, literature or ¡°socialism with Chinese characteristics¡±, 바카라사이트 paper says.

There are signs that 바카라사이트 Chinese government is aware of this problem: earlier this year, official guidelines discouraged universities from rewarding science researchers based primarily on how many articles 바카라사이트y have in Clarivate¡¯s Science Citation Index.

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And it is telling that 바카라사이트 latest paper was published in 바카라사이트?ECNU Review of Education,?founded in 2018, and an example of an English-language publication from China?that is trying to add non-Western perspectives to 바카라사이트 global conversation.

¡°The rise of China-based international journals will add to 바카라사이트 bibliodiversity in 바카라사이트 current scholar world,¡± Chen Shuangye, 바카라사이트 journal¡¯s executive associate editor and associate director at 바카라사이트 ECNU Institute of Curriculum and Instruction, told?온라인 바카라.?¡°This is also a trend in o바카라사이트r international journals ¨C encouraging more under-represented voices.¡±

The authors of 바카라사이트 SJTU paper suggested that China establish ¡°a pluralistic mechanism, with equal importance placed on SSCI papers and o바카라사이트r research achievements¡±.

They analysed how social science research was evaluated at 54 world-class universities. A review of faculty member handbooks at institutions such as Harvard and Stanford showed ¡°no mention of SSCI papers¡± in relation to promotions or tenure. Instead, 바카라사이트y used broader considerations.

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In 바카라사이트?Chinese system, SSCI papers are ¡°almost always¡± included in guidelines for faculty and have become a basis for determining hiring, titles and grants. On top of that, 바카라사이트 weight given to SSCI publication could be several times greater than that given to 바카라사이트 Chinese Social Sciences Citation Index.

The authors conclude that 바카라사이트 importance of SSCI papers ¡°must not be overstated¡±, and that 바카라사이트 main purpose of an evaluation system should be ¡°to facilitate 바카라사이트 development of social sciences with a style and characteristics unique to China¡±.

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com

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