Régibeau, P and Rockett, KE (2016) Research assessment and recognized excellence: simple bibliometrics for more efficient academic research evaluations. Economic Policy, 31 (88). pp. 611-652. DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/epolic/eiw011
Régibeau, P and Rockett, KE (2016) Research assessment and recognized excellence: simple bibliometrics for more efficient academic research evaluations. Economic Policy, 31 (88). pp. 611-652. DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/epolic/eiw011
Régibeau, P and Rockett, KE (2016) Research assessment and recognized excellence: simple bibliometrics for more efficient academic research evaluations. Economic Policy, 31 (88). pp. 611-652. DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/epolic/eiw011
Abstract
Many countries perform research assessment of universities, although the methods differ widely. Significant resources are invested in these exercises. Moving to a more mechanical, metrics-based system could therefore create very significant savings. We evaluate a set of simple, readily accessible metrics by comparing real Economics departments to three possible benchmarks of research excellence: a fictitious department composed exclusively of former Nobel Prize winners, actual world-leading departments, and reputation-based rankings of real departments. We examine two types of metrics: publications weighted by the quality of the outlet and citations received. The publication-based metric performs better at distinguishing the benchmarks if it requires at least four publications over a six year period and allows for a top rate for a very small set of elite reviews. Cumulative citations received over two six-year review periods appear to be somewhat more consistent with our three benchmarks than within-period citations, although within-period citations still distinguish quality. We propose a simple evaluation process relying on a composite index with a journal-based and a citations-based component. We also provide rough estimates of the cost: assuming that all fields of research would be amenable to a similar approach, we obtain a total cost of about £12M per review period.
Item Type: | Article |
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Uncontrolled Keywords: | H4; I23; L51; O38 |
Subjects: | L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources > ZA Information resources > ZA4050 Electronic information resources |
Divisions: | Faculty of Social Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics, Department of |
SWORD Depositor: | Unnamed user with email elements@essex.ac.uk |
Depositing User: | Unnamed user with email elements@essex.ac.uk |
Date Deposited: | 21 Mar 2017 15:25 |
Last Modified: | 30 Oct 2024 20:21 |
URI: | http://repository.essex.ac.uk/id/eprint/19353 |