Using and Interpreting Journal Rankings: Introduction

Abstract

In recent decades, ranking has become an increasingly important feature of an academic’s life. Individuals, journals, universities and departments are all ranked. To an extent, this is an inherent part of what we have always done, as academics we rank students and we tend to rank them into one of four categories. As Sgroi and Oswald observe, in this symposium, rightly or wrongly the UK has been a leader in formal ways of measuring the research performance of universities. In many ways, this is a good thing. With respect to individuals and departments, it facilitates senior university officials in monitoring its academics, whereas in days gone by university officials largely had to take everyone’s word that they were excellent. This meant that for long periods underperforming individuals and units, relatively speaking, could survive and even prosper. Rankings also help the university when it comes to hiring new people; in economics at least, where they have published is the key factor in such decisions, with the odd gesture made to the ability to get grants. For academics themselves, rankings help them in deciding where to publish and also in keeping tabs on the progression of their own career. And for students, rankings help them as they decide where to apply to study, something which is particularly important for those wanting to study in a foreign country.