Metrics and Assessment

An important and timely plenary session at the 2015 UKSG Conference and Exhibition focused on the role of metrics in research assessment. The two excellent speakers had slightly divergent views.Todd Carpenter from NISO (National Information Standards Organization) argued that altmetrics aren’t alt anymore and that downloads and other forms of digital interaction, including social media reference, reference tracking, personal library saving, and secondary linking activity now provide mainstream approaches to the assessment of scholarly impact. James Wilsdon is professor of science and democracy in the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex and is chair of the Independent Review of the Role of Metrics in Research Assessment commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council in England (HEFCE). The outcome of this review will inform the work of HEFCE and the other UK higher education funding bodies as they prepare for the future of the Research Excellence Framework. He is more circumspect arguing that metrics cannot and should not be used as a substitute for informed judgement. This article provides a summary of both presentations.