The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment, also known as DORA, is celebrating its 12th birthday this year. To mark this milestone, the team at DORA is launching a new initiative – “A Practical Guide to Responsible Research Assessment”. This guide aims to provide researchers, institutions, and funders with practical tools and resources to promote responsible research assessment practices.
DORA was founded in 2012 by a group of editors and publishers of scholarly journals, along with scientific societies and organizations. The main goal of DORA is to improve the way research is evaluated and to move away from the traditional reliance on journal impact factors as a measure of research quality. DORA believes that the current system of research assessment is flawed and can lead to negative consequences, such as the pressure to publish in high-impact journals and the neglect of other important aspects of research, such as reproducibility and open science.
Over the past 12 years, DORA has gained significant recognition and support from the scientific community. More than 20,000 individuals and over 1,000 organizations have signed the declaration, including major research institutions, funding agencies, and publishers. This widespread support demonstrates the urgent need for a change in the way research is evaluated.
The launch of “A Practical Guide to Responsible Research Assessment” is a significant step towards achieving DORA’s mission. The guide provides practical recommendations and resources for researchers, institutions, and funders to promote responsible research assessment practices. It covers a wide range of topics, including the use of metrics in research evaluation, the role of peer review, and the importance of diversity and inclusion in research assessment.
One of the key recommendations in the guide is the use of a diverse set of indicators to evaluate research. This means moving away from the sole reliance on journal impact factors and considering other factors, such as the quality and impact of individual publications, the researcher’s contributions to their field, and the societal impact of their research. This approach will provide a more comprehensive and accurate assessment of research quality and will encourage researchers to focus on producing high-quality and impactful research rather than chasing high-impact journals.
The guide also emphasizes the importance of responsible peer review in research assessment. Peer review is a crucial step in the research process, and it should be conducted in a fair, transparent, and unbiased manner. The guide provides practical tips for researchers, reviewers, and editors to ensure responsible peer review practices, such as providing clear and constructive feedback and avoiding conflicts of interest.
Moreover, the guide highlights the need for diversity and inclusion in research assessment. The current system of research evaluation often favors researchers from certain backgrounds or institutions, leading to systemic biases and inequalities. DORA encourages institutions and funders to adopt policies and practices that promote diversity and inclusion in research assessment, such as considering the researcher’s career stage and the context of their research.
The launch of “A Practical Guide to Responsible Research Assessment” is a significant achievement for DORA and the scientific community as a whole. It provides practical tools and resources to promote responsible research assessment practices and encourages a shift towards a more comprehensive and fair evaluation of research. By following the recommendations in the guide, researchers, institutions, and funders can contribute to creating a more equitable and effective research evaluation system.
In conclusion, DORA’s 12th birthday is a cause for celebration, as it marks 12 years of advocating for responsible research assessment. The launch of “A Practical Guide to Responsible Research Assessment” is a testament to DORA’s commitment to promoting positive change in the scientific community. Let us all join hands and support DORA’s mission to create a more responsible and equitable research evaluation system. Happy birthday, DORA! Here’s to many more years of success and progress.
