DORA has released Guidance on the responsible use of quantitative indicators in research assessment. These indicators include the h-index, citation counts, and altmetrics. This guidance is available on the DORA website, Zenodo, and Google Docs. A summary is available as a powerpoint to view or download:
DORA_indicators_guidance_slide_deck_v2
Because no indicator can capture the complexities of research quality in one number, this document describes five principles that can help prevent indicators from being misused in assessment.
- Be clear.
- Be transparent.
- Be specific.
- Be contextual.
- Be fair.
The new guidance avoids simple recommendations like, “Do / do not use this indicator.” Instead, it describes limitations of the indicators to help provide nuance in the application of quantitative indicators.
For more information, email DORA at info@sfdora.org.
DORA. 2024. Guidance on the responsible use of quantitative indicators in research assessment. https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.10979643