PRIN 2017 – The effects of evaluation on academic research: knowledge production and methodological issues

Abstract

The project objective is to investigate the effects of research evaluation implemented by governments on the research work and knowledge production, taking academics working in Italian universities as a case. Moreover, the project aims at contributing to the design of a methodological approach for measuring the effects of evaluation at individual level, which can be used in designing, implementing, and managing such evaluation processes. Research questions to be addressed are: what changes external research evaluation can produce on research practices and individuals’ strategies? How can the effects of evaluation at individual level be assessed using formal approaches beyond bibliometric indicators?

The focus is on a set of possible effects produced, namely: i) Decisions affecting the content of research activities; ii) Modes of codification of knowledge produced doing research activities, looking at changing strategies and practices of publication; iii) Relationships of early career researchers with the seniors, affecting the research agenda and modes of publication; iv) International collaboration, mobility and research networking.

More informations

1. Reale E. (2019). Valutazione dell’Università e valorizzazione del contesto territoriale. RIV-Rassegna Italiana di Valutazione, 74, 77-96
2. Abramo G., D’Angelo A., Reale E. (2019). Peer review versus bibliometrics: Which method better predicts the scholarly impact of publications? Scientometrics, 121(1), 537-554
3. De Biase, M. (2019). Il sito web del PRIN 2017 (Prot.2017NKWYFC). Rapporto Tecnico CNR-IRCrES, 8/2019
4. Spinello, A.O., Reale, E., Zinilli, A. (2021). Design and implementation of a web survey on the effects of evaluation on academic research. CNR-IRCrES Working Paper, 3/2021