Research assessment and scholarly publishing are two sides of the same coin. Both areas face many problems and need reform. Currently, many organizations and initiatives are working to improve research assessment and scholarly publishing, but the efforts are fragmented and coordination between assessment and publishing reform is often lacking.
Together with colleagues from around the world working to change publishing and research assessment systems, DORA has recently published a paper “From Interdependent Movements to Shared Action: Connecting Publishing and Assessment Reforms” (download here). In it, we argue that stronger coordination among participants in the publishing and assessment reform movements is necessary to achieve lasting, meaningful progress. Staff from DORA, the International Science Council, the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) at Leiden University, and ASAPbio have jointly led the work.
The paper discusses the many benefits of such collaboration for actor groups across the research system, including researchers, research-performing and funding organizations, and policymakers. Importantly, the ideas proposed in this paper do not create new projects; instead, they discuss how to coordinate and amplify existing initiatives. Readers are invited to consider the proposal and reflect on how they can contribute to efforts to coordinate and align work across these strongly interrelated reform movements.
This blogpost has been cross-posted with ASAPbio.
