More and more researchers are adopting open science practices. Open access and data accessibility in research are widely embraced by researchers, who aim to make scientific knowledge accessible for the benefit of society as a whole. Additionally, adopting open science practices is increasingly becoming a requirement in publicly funded research projects.
However, evaluation systems for scientific and research careers still do not include open science indicators and continue to rely on traditional methods, such as publications and impact factors. This hinders broader adoption of open science practices in general.
Therefore, international organizations have issued recommendations that can guide how researchers should be evaluated.
The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), established in 2012, aims to improve the evaluation of research outputs by promoting responsible and fair assessment practices. DORA emphasizes that journal-based metrics, such as the Journal Impact Factor (JIF), should not be used as a primary criterion for evaluating researchers or their contributions. Instead, it advocates for qualitative assessments that recognize the diversity of research outputs, including datasets, software, public engagement, and other forms of scholarly contributions.
The UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science provides guidelines for member states to promote policies that recognize and value open science practices in the evaluation of researchers. This includes fostering transparency, accessibility, and collaboration in scientific research.
Additionally, the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) is working on reforming research evaluation by acknowledging the diversity of research activities and practices, promoting early knowledge and data sharing, and emphasizing qualitative assessments supported by responsibly used quantitative indicators.
In Latin America, the Latin American Forum on Research Assessment (FOLEC), led by the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO), promotes academic evaluation aligned with open science principles. FOLEC advocates for evaluation systems that recognize the diversity of scientific production and its social impact, moving beyond traditional metrics like impact factor.
CLACSO has also issued statements emphasizing the need to reform academic evaluation in the region by proposing criteria that value the quality, relevance, and social contribution of research, consistent with the principles of open science.
Despite these advances, challenges remain in implementing evaluation systems that fully integrate open science practices.
References.
- UNESCO. (2021). Recommendation on Open Science. Retrieved from https://unesdoc.unesco.org
- Consejo Latinoamericano de Ciencias Sociales (CLACSO). (2022). Declaración sobre Evaluación Académica. Retrieved from https://www.clacso.org
- CoARA. (n.d.). Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment. Retrieved from https://coara.eu
- San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). (2012). San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment. Retrieved from https://sfdora.org
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