Are We Destroying Research by Evaluating It?

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Are We Destroying Research by Evaluating It?
A topic I think about from time to time, especially as I resist efforts to have my work 'evaluated' by traditional metrics (the NRC criteria are quite broad, which allows a lot of the work that I do to be credited, but there is a constant pressure to narrow the definition of 'work' to include only formal publications, patents and intellectual property). Daniel Lemire points to a paper from Bruno S. Frey and Margit Osterloh, who argue, "path-breaking contributions are exactly those at variance with accepted criteria. Indeed innovative research creates novel criteria which before were unknown or disregarded." Lemire comments (and I agree), "we see a homogenization of research endeavors. All laboratories and departments end up looking the same. Fads are followed religiously". More...