Evaluating Science and Scientists
The shift to a market economy in post-communist Eastern Europe has had a profound impact on science and scientists across the region, leading to reforms in research management practices and to drastic cuts in funding levels everywhere. Many countries are moving to a system of competitive research grants awarded on the basis of peer review. The introduction of peer review is not simply a technical matter. It signifies a fundamental change in the social structure of science, enhancing profession-al autonomy and giving working scientists a voice in the allocation of resources. This book combines first-hand accounts of the reform process with analyses of the strengths and weaknesses of both peer review and quantitative indicators.
List of Contributors
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Mark S. Frankel and Jane Cave
Part I. Evaluating Science and Scientists: The Political and Economic
1. The Political Context of Science Priority-Setting in the United States
Albert H. Teich
2. The Political and Economic Context of Research Evaluation in Eastern Europe
György Darvas
3. Factors Affecting the Acceptance of Evaluation Results
Ben R. Martin
Part II. Peer Review: Self-Regulation and Accountability in Science
4. Peer Review in Science and Science Policy
Edward J. Hackett
5. A Polish Perspective on Peer Review
Adam lomnicki
6. The Limits of Peer Review: The Case of Hungary
Katalin Hangos
7. The Evaluation of Research Institutes in Hungary
Péter Zilahy and István Láng
8. Peer Review in the Czech Republic
Miroslava Vrbova
9. Peer Review in Poland: Practical Solutions and Possible Improvements
lulita lablecka
Part III. Quantitative Techniques for Evaluating Performance
10. Quantitative Techniques in Evaluation in Western Europe
Terttu Luukkonen
11. The Evaluation of Scientists and Their Work
Andrzej Ziabicki
12. Scientometric Methods in the Evaluation of Research Groups in Hungary
Peter Vinkler
13. Measuring and Evaluating Scientific Performance in the Czech Republic
laroslav Koutecky
14. Institutionalizing Evaluation of Research and Education in the Slovak Republic
lozefTino
15. FormaI Evaluation Methods: Their Utility and Limitations
C. le Pair
16. Evaluation of Research and Development Programs by Technology Indicators
Hariolf Grupp
17. Quantitative Citation Data as Indicators in Science Evaluations: A Primer on Their Appropriate Use
Alfred Welljams-Dorof
18. Ethical and Political Aspects of Using and Interpreting Quantitative Indicators
Gunnar Sivertsen
Index