Responsible metrics | Research | University of Bristol

"The University of Bristol has signed the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) on the recommendation of the University Research Committee. DORA is a set of recommendations designed to ensure that “…the quality and impact of scientific outputs…is measured accurately and evaluated wisely.” To date, signatories include seven other Russell Group universities, such as Imperial College London, University of Manchester and UCL.

The University is committed to the critical role that peer review and expert judgement plays in the assessment of research, but also recognises the value that quantitative metrics can play in complementing and supporting decision-making. We will therefore be developing a series of institutional principles for research evaluation and assessment, based on the recommendations presented in the Declaration, through the establishment of a Task and Finish Group of members from the academic community and Professional Services.

DORA’s key tenet is to “not use journal-based metrics, such as Journal Impact Factors (JIFs), as surrogate measures of the quality of individual research articles, to assess an individual scientist’s contributions, or in hiring, promotion, or funding decisions”. It includes a series of recommendations for funding agencies, institutions, publishers, organisations that supply metrics and for researchers...."