Relational responsibilities: Researchers perspective on current and progressive assessment criteria: A focus group...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical research
• Academic assessment
• Research ethics

Background:

• The academic landscape heavily emphasizes quantitative metrics like publication counts and impact factors, creating a 'publish or perish' culture.
• This focus on quantifiable output often overlooks crucial aspects of responsible research conduct.
• There is a growing need to explore assessment criteria that better reflect the multifaceted nature of academic responsibilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate biomedical researchers' perspectives on responsible assessment criteria.
• To explore how relational responsibilities can be integrated into formal assessment processes.
• To identify ways to foster responsible conduct of research through improved evaluation methods.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative focus group study was conducted across three university medical centers in the Netherlands.
• Early career (PhD, postdoc) and senior (associate, full professors) researchers participated in randomly selected groups.
• Discussions explored the relationship between relational responsibilities and responsible conduct of research, and potential assessment criteria.

Main Results:

• Researchers identified overlooked relational responsibilities (e.g., supervision, collaboration, teaching) as crucial for responsible research.
• Participants proposed multidimensional assessment criteria, including evaluating team science, using a narrative approach, and employing 360-degree feedback.
• While these alternatives could foster responsible research, participants noted that unclear criteria might increase publication stress and evaluation insecurity.

Conclusions:

• Relational responsibilities should be more prominent in future assessment criteria to align with and promote responsible research practices.
• Participants offered suggestions for quantifying and assessing these relational skills.
• Further research is needed to develop tangible, concrete, and applicable assessment criteria for daily practice to effectively measure responsible research.