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[Evaluation of research--reality and illusions]
1Zakład Histologii i Embriologii, Instytutu Biostruktury, Akademii Medycznej w Warszawie.
Postepy Higieny I Medycyny Doswiadczalnej
|October 28, 1998
Summary
The citation index is the best current measure of research quality, despite its flaws. The impact factor has too many drawbacks and is not recommended for evaluating research quality.
Area of Science:
- Bibliometrics
- Research Evaluation
- Scientific Communication
Context:
- Defining and measuring research productivity and effectiveness is crucial for academic and funding bodies.
- Existing metrics like citation index (CI) and impact factor (IF) are widely used but have limitations.
Purpose:
- To analyze the suitability of citation index (CI) and impact factor (IF) as indicators of research quality.
- To propose a refined approach for evaluating research quality.
Summary:
- The citation index (CI) is identified as the most suitable current metric for research quality, acknowledging its inherent drawbacks.
- The impact factor (IF) is strongly discouraged as a measure of research quality due to significant limitations, especially in comparative assessments.
- A combination of criteria, excluding the impact factor, is recommended for a comprehensive evaluation of research quality.
Impact:
- Provides a critical analysis of commonly used research metrics.
- Offers guidance for more accurate and reliable research quality assessment.
- Contributes to the ongoing discourse on responsible research evaluation practices.