Abstract
ESEP Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics Contact the journal RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections ESEP 8:83-92 (2008) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esep00077 Using a balanced approach to bibliometrics: quantitative performance measures in the Australian Research Quality Framework Linda Butler* Research Evaluation and Policy Project, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia *Email: linda.butler@anu.edu.au ABSTRACT: Australia is about to move to a new system of distributing government block grants for research among universities, with the introduction of a process similar to Britains Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). One of the most significant departures from the current RAE model is that, in the Australian Research Quality Framework, peer judgements will be informed by quantitative performance measures, including bibliometrics. The data will not be used in any formulaic way, but will sit alongside the assessment of other information provided to discipline panelscontextual information provided by the groups being assessed, the full text of the publications they regard as their best, and a full list of publications produced in the assessment period. This paper details the metrics to be used in this new framework and outlines some of the reasons why a balanced approach to research assessment was adopted.Erratum KEY WORDS: Bibliometrics · Research assessment · RQF · RAE Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Butler L (2008) Using a balanced approach to bibliometrics: quantitative performance measures in the Australian Research Quality Framework. Ethics Sci Environ Polit 8:83-92. https://doi.org/10.3354/esep00077Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in ESEP Vol. 8, No. 1. Online publication date: June 03, 2008 Print ISSN: 1863-5415; Online ISSN: ISSN Copyright © 2008 Inter-Research.
Highlights
The Research Quality Framework (RQF) is more balanced with bibliometrics and other quantitative performance measures being used alongside peer review
A significant amount of money is distributed by the 2 research councils, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Australian Research Council (ARC), via a peer reviewed assessment system
Sir Gareth Roberts to chair an Expert Advisory Group, whose remit was to consult widely and develop a model for assessing the quality and impact of research in Australia. Their proposed model was published in February 2006 (DEST 2006a), but a change of minister and further lobbying by the sector led to the establishment of a new Development Advisory Group (DAG) to refine the model
Summary
Australia is about to move to a new system for distributing the government’s block grant for research among universities, with the introduction of a process similar to Britain’s Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) — the Research Quality Framework (RQF). One major innovation is the attempt to assess the quality of the research undertaken within universities, and the impact of that research outside academia. This broader impact relates to the recognition that research ‘has been successfully applied to achieve social, economic, environmental and/or cultural outcomes’ The RAE is moving to incorporate metrics in their process post-2008; they envisage a more central role for quantitative measures than is proposed for the RQF (DfES 2006). The RQF is more balanced with bibliometrics and other quantitative performance measures being used alongside peer review
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