The team at the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment, or DORA, is celebrating its 12th birthday with a big announcement – the launch of “A Practical Guide to Responsible Research Assessment.” This is a significant step towards promoting responsible and ethical practices in research assessment, and it comes at a time when the scientific community is facing increasing pressure to produce high impact research.
Since its inception in 2012, DORA has been working towards reforming the current system of research assessment, which heavily relies on the usage of journal impact factors (JIFs) as a measure of research quality. JIFs have been criticized for being an inaccurate and incomplete representation of the impact of an individual publication or a researcher’s body of work. Moreover, the use of JIFs has led to many negative consequences, such as the obsession with publishing in high-impact journals, the neglect of important research fields, and the pressure on researchers to publish their work in a certain way.
DORA’s new guide aims to provide practical and actionable steps for research institutions, funders, and individual researchers to promote responsible research assessment. It is a comprehensive resource that covers various aspects of research assessment, including evaluation criteria, metrics, and the evaluation of researchers and academic institutions. The guide is based on the DORA principles, which emphasize the need for a holistic and qualitative evaluation of research that considers its societal impact and relevance.
One of the key features of the guide is the inclusion of real-life examples and case studies of organizations that have successfully implemented responsible research assessment practices. This makes it a valuable resource for those looking to implement similar changes in their own institutions. The guide also provides a checklist to help institutions and individuals assess their current research assessment practices and identify areas for improvement.
The launch of the guide is a significant milestone for DORA, as it marks a shift towards practical and tangible solutions for responsible research assessment. It also reaffirms DORA’s commitment to promoting the highest standards of ethical and responsible research practices. The team behind DORA hopes that the guide will serve as a catalyst for change and inspire institutions and individuals to adopt more responsible approaches to research assessment.
This launch comes at a crucial time when the scientific community is facing mounting pressure to produce high impact research. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for responsible research practices, as there has been a surge in the dissemination of preprints and a push for quick publication to combat the virus. In such a scenario, the responsible evaluation of research is more important than ever, as it ensures that only reliable and trustworthy information reaches the public.
The guide has already received positive feedback from various stakeholders in the scientific community. Dr. Stuart Taylor, a professor at University College London, has praised the guide for its “practical and clear steps” towards responsible research assessment. He believes that it will help institutions and researchers to “think more deeply about research integrity and the impact of their work on society.”
The launch of the guide is also timely, as many institutions and funders are now re-evaluating their research assessment practices in light of the ongoing discussions on responsible research practices. The guide provides a framework for organizations to develop their own responsible research assessment policies and to align them with the DORA principles.
In conclusion, the launch of “A Practical Guide to Responsible Research Assessment” by DORA is a significant step towards promoting responsible and ethical research practices. It is a timely and much-needed resource that will guide institutions and individuals towards a more holistic and qualitative evaluation of research. DORA’s commitment to promoting responsible research assessment is commendable, and we can only hope that this guide will bring about a positive change in the scientific community. Let us all join hands and support DORA in its mission to create a more responsible and ethical research culture.
