An instrument for the self‐appraisal of scientific research performance

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present findings related to an instrument for the self‐appraisal of scientists' research performance, and highlight the suitability of self‐appraisal instruments for members of the scientific community.Design/methodology/approachAn examination of the literature on self‐appraisal and the measurement of scientific research is presented. The initial development of the instrument employed qualitative methods through interview and discussions with PhD‐qualified scientific researchers (n=13). A quantitative investigation of the usefulness of the instrument was then conducted on a sample of biological and chemical research scientists (n=270). Results were compared with an existing performance measure and examined for representative reliability.FindingsResults suggest that the instrument may be a reliable measure of research performance when used in a non‐critical context.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the instrument shows promise, further research is needed to examine aspects of inter‐rater reliability. Additional research is also needed to further examine relationships between it and other measures of research performance at the same level of analysis. While the usefulness and validity of this instrument at the “international level” has been examined, further research is needed to examine the relative validity and reliability of the instrument at the “institutional” and “national” levels.Practical implicationsThe instrument provides a useful and cost‐effective tool for use in the performance appraisal process of research scientists, and for use in focusing discussion on performance for developmental purposes. It is also useful as a research tool for the timely and cost‐effective measurement of research performance at an institutional, national and international level.Originality/valueThe paper presents an original paper and pencil instrument for the appraisal of scientific research performance at an institutional, national, and international level.