Projekt

The scholarly publication is central to how research is assessed and evaluated; changes to the academic publishing system therefore immediately affect the research assessment system. Open access policies and mandates introduce drastic changes to traditional publishing and the academic community and publishers have reacted with different strategies. While publishers develop new business models to increase profits, researchers strive to increase publication counts in a 'publish or perish' culture. Against this background, recent calls to reform research assessment aim to refocus on research quality over quantity. Publishers and researchers may clash when their economic and scientific orientations interfere. When academic careers and profitable businesses are at stake, questionable publication practices unfold. The proposed project will analyze research assessment systems in the context of recent policies using multiple mixed methods. By focusing on the intertwined relationships between publishing and research evaluation, it will provide empirical evidence about the interplay of economic strategies and motivations to advance knowledge and academic careers. Effects on research assessment systems will be investigated in the context of identifying potential clashes and dysfunctionalities. Results are expected to be highly relevant to all stakeholders in science policy, scholarly communication and research assessment.

• Prof. Dr. Isabella Peters

  ZBW - Leibniz-Informationszentrum
  Wirtschaft
  Web Science
  Kiel
  

• Prof. Dr. Stefanie Haustein

  University of Ottawa
  Faculty of Arts
  School of Information Studies
  Ottawa
  Kanada (Canada)
  

• Priv.-Doz. Dr. Niels Taubert

  Universität Bielefeld
  Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies of Science
  Bielefeld