Archives des mots-clés : scientific production

The Role of Academic Libraries in Scientific Production Evaluation – the Experience of University of Zagreb, Croatia

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Authors : Branka Marijanović, Tatijana Petrić, Zrinka Udiljak Bugarinovski, Višnja Novosel

Since internationally visible scientific productivity is a criterion for state evaluation of Croatian academic and scientific institutions and their scientists, Croatian academic libraries have a key role in quantitative evaluation of scientific productivity using methods such as bibliometrics, scientometrics and the like.

The aim of this case study is to identify and illustrate the current situation of library services for evaluating scientific production at the University of Zagreb, Croatia, and to make recommendations for the further development of such services, which could serve as a framework for the systematic implementation of this type of service in all libraries at the University of Zagreb and beyond.

More specifically, the purpose of this paper was to identify the existence of the bibliometric services in the libraries of the University of Zagreb (UNIZG), examine the status and involvement of university librarians in the academic advancement procedures and to identify the required competences for bibliometric experts in Croatia.

The research was conducted using the content analysis method, the survey method, and the focus group method. The research results show that although UNIZG libraries are integrated into the system of academic promotion and the role of UNIZG libraries is enshrined in Croatian regulations, the bibliometric service is not standardised at the University level.

The results also indicate that the service needs to be strengthened in terms of training of professional staff and greater investment in staff capacity and infrastructure.

The fact that the study was conducted at a single Croatian university is a possible limitation that could relate to the application of guidelines for further actions and the development of bibliometric services at national level. It would therefore be desirable to conduct future research to identify the situation at other Croatian universities as well.

It would also be necessary to determine the open science and open access policies at UNIZG through further research and, in this context, to establish guidelines for possible improvements in the processes of evaluating scientific productivity.

The results of this study make an important contribution to the possible future positioning of university libraries and UNIZG librarians in the process of evaluating scientific productivity. In addition, some practical advice is given so that this case study may be a good introductory overview for the wider academic community in relation to this topic.

URL : The Role of Academic Libraries in Scientific Production Evaluation – the Experience of University of Zagreb, Croatia

DOI : https://doi.org/10.53377/lq.13523

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on scientists’ productivity in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and medicine fields

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Authors : Seulkee Heo, Alisha Yee Chan, Pedro Diaz Peralta, Lan Jin, Claudia Ribeiro Pereira Nunes, Michelle L. Bell

While studies suggested adverse impacts of COVID-19 on scientific outputs and work routines for scientists, more evidence is required to understand detailed obstacles challenging scientists’ work and productivity during the pandemic, including how different people are affected (e.g., by gender).

This online survey-based thematic analysis investigated how the pandemic affected scientists’ perception of scientific and academic productivity in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and medicine fields.

The analysis examined if inequitable changes in duties and responsibilities for caregiving for children, family, and/or households exist between scientists who are mothers compared to scientists who are fathers or non-parents.

The survey collected data from 2548 survey responses in six languages across 132 countries. Results indicate that many scientists suffered from delays and restrictions on research activities and administrations due to the lockdown of institutions, as well as increased workloads from adapting to online teaching environment.

Caregiving responsibility for children and family increased, which compromised time for academic efforts, especially due to the temporary shutdown of social supports. Higher percentages of female parent participants than male parent participants expressed such increased burdens indicating unequal divisions of caregiving between women and men.

A range of physical and mental health issues was identified mainly due to overworking and isolation. Despite numerous obstacles, some participants reported advantages during the pandemic including the efficiency of online teaching, increased funding for COVID-related research, application of alternative research methodologies, and fluidity of the workday from not commuting.

Findings imply the need for rapid institutional support to aid various academic activities and diminish gender inequity in career development among academicians, highlighting how crisis can exacerbate existing inequalities.

URL : Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on scientists’ productivity in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and medicine fields

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01466-0

 

L’obsession de la productivité et la fabrique du chercheur publiant

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Auteur/Author : Franck Aggeri

À quoi rêvent les jeunes doctorants en gestion lorsqu’ils débutent leur thèse ? Leurs aspirations ne diffèrent pas fondamentalement de celles des doctorants d’autres disciplines : ils valorisent l’autonomie supposée du métier, la réflexion et les discussions intellectuelles, la lecture, la création, l’écriture, la pédagogie.

Cette vision romantique du métier est souvent renforcée par la rencontre avec des enseignants-chercheurs qui leur ont donné le goût de la réflexion, leur ont fait découvrir l’esthétique de l’écriture et de l’argumentation, des textes marquants ou des recherches de terrain originales.

Bref, ils rêvent souvent de devenir des enseignants-chercheurs singuliers. Modèle des singularités vs modèle productif Le modèle des singularités dans la recherche, rappelle Lucien Karpik, est celui auquel se réfèrent traditionnellement les chercheurs.

Il repose sur une orientation symbolique « autour d’un ensemble de normes et de valeurs classiques : la découverte comme finalité, l’importance de l’originalité, de l’ambition et du plaisir intellectuel, un imaginaire enraciné dans l’histoire de la science, la position centrale du jugement des pairs, le pouvoir collégial ou semi-collégial, une conception du métier organisée autour de l’indépendance individuelle, une compétition animée par la volonté d’être le premier à découvrir et le premier à publier, le premier reconnu et le premier primé » (Karpik, 2012, p. 119).

À rebours du modèle des singularités, se développe depuis quelques années, notamment en économie et en sciences de gestion, un modèle productif qui repose sur une performance « objective » mesurée à partir d’une métrique simple : le nombre de publications de rang A.

URL : https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01368023

La production scientifique des chercheurs de la faculté de médecine et de pharmacie de Casablanca : mesures, cartographie et enjeux du libre accès

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Auteur/Author : Hanae Lrhoul

Notre travail de thèse vise à établir un diagnostic des potentialités scientifiques marocaines et à concevoir de nouveaux dispositifs pour la mesure, la cartographie et l’open access à la science locale.Pour bâtir des systèmes nationaux de recherche et garantir le développement socioéconomique du Maroc, les décideurs des universités ont besoin d’indicateurs d’analyse et d’évaluation de leur patrimoine scientifique.

Les principales sources utilisées pour effectuer cette analyse sont les bases de données internationales « Scopus » et « Web of Science », en dépit de leurs biais d’indexation et de couverture de la science des pays du Sud.

Cela induit un questionnement quant au manque hypothétique de la visibilité de la science marocaine. Ce manque de visibilité serait-il dû à la faible présence des revues nationales dans les bases de données internationales ? Ou relèverait-il de la faible qualité des publications marocaines ?

La science marocaine est-elle une science à visée locale, abordant des thèmes qui ne figurent pas dans l’agenda de la science universelle ? Les apports de l’open access quant à l’augmentation de la visibilité et de l’impact de la recherche sont-ils méconnus des universitaires marocains ?

La réponse à ces questions est accomplie à travers l’étude de cas de la Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie de Casablanca (FMPC). Elle s’articule autour de trois objectifs spécifiques : 1/ Recenser la production scientifique ; 2/ cartographier la production scientifique et explorer l’existence d’une relation entre l’indexation des publications dans les bases de données internationales et leur visibilité 3/ évaluer les comportements et les usages de l’open access par les chercheurs.

Les principaux résultats de l’analyse et de la cartographie de la production scientifique de la FMPC, attestent que celle-ci jouit d’une grande visibilité à l’échelle internationale. La juxtaposition des publications nationales et internationales permet de confirmer que 70% des publications scientifiques de la FMPC sont intégrées dans les bases de données internationales et que 74.21 % de l’ensemble des articles sont publiés en anglais.

Par ailleurs, on ne pourrait exclure 30% des publications nationales de l’évaluation bibliométrique au risque de biaiser les politiques scientifiques du pays.D’autres résultats de la thèse sont constitués par la mise en place du dépôt institutionnel de l’Université et du portail de revues médicales, créés afin d’assurer une large diffusion de la production des chercheurs de la FMPC et d’augmenter sa visibilité et son impact.

Néanmoins, les résultats de l’enquête menée auprès des chercheurs ont montré que la principale barrière à l’adoption de l’open access est la méconnaissance des avantages des dispositifs de libre accès à l’IST quant à l’augmentation de leur impact et de leur visibilité.

Les résultats de la cartographie de la FMPC et de l’étude des comportements des chercheurs à l’égard de l’open access, nous ont permis de proposer des fondements pour l’édification d’indicateurs adaptés au contexte marocain.

URL : https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01815122

Prominent but Less Productive: The Impact of Interdisciplinarity on Scientists’ Research

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Inter-disciplinary research (IDR) is being promoted by federal agencies and universities nationwide because it presumably spurs transformative, innovative science. In this paper we bring empirical data to assess whether IDR is indeed beneficial, and whether costs accompany potential benefits. Existing research highlights this tension: whereas the innovation literature suggests that spanning disciplines is beneficial because it allows scientists to see connections across fields, the categories literature suggests that spanning disciplines is penalized, because the resulting research may be lower quality or confusing to place.

To investigate this, we empirically distinguish production and reception effects and we highlight a new production penalty: cognitive and collaborative challenges associated with IDR may result in slower progress, hurdles during peer review, and lower productivity (though not necessarily lower quality).

We compile and analyze data on almost 900 research center-based scientists and their 32,000 published articles. Using an innovative measure of IDR that considers the similarity of the disciplines spanned, we document both penalties (fewer papers published) and benefits (increased visibility) associated with IDR, and show that it is a high-risk, high-reward endeavor. These costs and benefits depend on characteristics of the field and a scientist’s place in it.

URL : http://arxiv.org/abs/1510.06802

An Efficiency Comparison of Document Preparation Systems Used in Academic Research and Development

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The choice of an efficient document preparation system is an important decision for any academic researcher. To assist the research community, we report a software usability study in which 40 researchers across different disciplines prepared scholarly texts with either Microsoft Word or LaTeX. The probe texts included simple continuous text, text with tables and subheadings, and complex text with several mathematical equations. We show that LaTeX users were slower than Word users, wrote less text in the same amount of time, and produced more typesetting, orthographical, grammatical, and formatting errors. On most measures, expert LaTeX users performed even worse than novice Word users. LaTeX users, however, more often report enjoying using their respective software. We conclude that even experienced LaTeX users may suffer a loss in productivity when LaTeX is used, relative to other document preparation systems. Individuals, institutions, and journals should carefully consider the ramifications of this finding when choosing document preparation strategies, or requiring them of authors.

URL : https://microblogging.infodocs.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/journal.pone.0115069.pdf

DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0115069

Impact of assessment criteria on publication behaviour: the case of communication research in Spain

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“Introduction: This paper outlines the evolution of Spanish production in the area of communication research over the last seventeen years. It analyses whether the consolidation of the existing systems of assessment of scientific activity have been mirrored by an increase in the output of Spanish authors in journals indexed by the Social Sciences Citation Index.

Method:  A bibliometric approach to the subject matter has been selected.  We have analysed indicators such as institutional and individual productivity, models of publishing and dynamics of co-operation (intra-and inter-institutional, national and international).

Analysis: This method has been applied to thirty-four journals included in the communication category of the Social Sciences Citation Index. To ensure consistency in the data collected, only journals that have remained in this database over the seventeen years covered by the research, from 1994 to 2010, have been selected.

Results: Results reveal that the output of Spanish researchers in communication has increased significantly over five years, from forty-eight papers in 1994-2005, to eighty-two for the period 2006-2010.

Conclusions: The increase coincides with the creation in 2002 of National Quality and Accreditation Evaluation Agency (ANECA) whose assessment criteria give priority to publication in journals indexed by the Social Sciences Citation Index.”

URL : http://www.informationr.net/ir/19-2/paper613.html