Metrics

coil of measuring tape

On Measuring What We Value 

If traditional filters of prestige are themselves steeped in a set of tacit values that may no longer adequately respect the modes of labor (or the laborers themselves), then when better to step back for a moment to ask what we are counting — and why?

9 months ago
1368
Graphic on Perspectives on Social Science Impact

Impact: Who Decides? 

In this first response to Ziyad Marar’s thought piece “On Measuring Social Science Impact,” professor Sue Fletcher-Watson, who represents a field where the direct purpose is to improve the quality of life for a group of individuals, shares why current metrics fall short and what we can do about it.

11 months ago
1360
sad face selected in checklist

The Perils of Measuring Performance, Inside and Outside Academia

Quantification can reformulate something as complex and multidimensional as teaching into a one-dimensional score. And such a score gives the possessor a sense of control and understanding. But, given the implications of quantification, this is an illusion.

12 months ago
1561

When Talking Broader Impact, Which Websites Do We Value?

Reporting on their recent survey of websites cited in REF 2014 impact case studies, Kayvan Kousha, Mike Thelwall and Mahshid Abdoli, discuss which websites are most commonly used as supporting evidence for impact and how these vary across academic disciplines.

1 year ago
932
Paths diverge in woods

Would You Forego Citations for Journal Status?

Presenting evidence from a new analysis of business and management academics, the authors explore how journal status is valued by these academics and the point at which journal status becomes more prized than academic influence.

1 year ago
1016
Grid of numbers written on asphalt

How Metrics Affect Peer Review for Academic Jobs and Grants

The aim of peer review for research grants and academic hiring boards is to provide expert independent judgement on the quality of research proposals and candidates. Based on findings from a recent survey, Liv Langfeldt, Dag W. Aksnes and Ingvild Reymert, find metrics continue to play a significant role in shaping these decisions, especially for reviewers who are highly ranked themselves.

1 year ago
1418