Citation Analysis in Tenure Evaluation

[Gretchen Whitney]

General discussion on this topic is invited.  Please be careful in hitting
the reply button; send private messages to Gene directly.  --gw

From: Garfield, Eugene [mailto:Garfield at codex.cis.upenn.edu]

http://garfield.library.upenn.edu/essays/v6p354y1983.pdf
http://garfield.library.upenn.edu/essays/v6p363y1983.pdf

Over 15 years ago I published a two-part essay in Current Contents which
can be accessed at the URL's listed above.

My purpose in writing to SIGMET is to ask whether any member can tell me
of any university or college which uses citation analysis in this way.

In the UK the resarch assessment exercises are widely known and
discussed as e.g. by Charles Oppenheim in the Journal of Documentation
53: (5) 477-487 DEC 1997.

However, I cannot recall a specific study of tenure practices and wonder
if any of you can inform me of any. Since tenure evaluation is such a
sensitive subject it is understandable that many institutions or
departments may not wish to disclose this information lest if affect
particular cases. However, I am aware that librarians and information
officers are frequently asked to do searches  of the SCI and SSCI for
these purposes.

Naturally citation analysis is only factor in a tenure evaluation, but
just an indication that citation analysis is routinely involved would
perhaps permit me to answer the qustion that I am asked frequently--has
the SCI affected the conduct of science.

(See e.g. a recent interview published in the Chemical Intelligencer
October 1999, p 26-31. To quote the editor Istvan Hargittai: "You
introduced the SCI and changed the way scientists are employed,
professors at universities are given tenure, and research journals are
judges for their quality. This is heavy stuff...."

If you would prefer to contact me directly please call me at
1-800-523-1850 or at the direct line 215-243-2205. Thank you. Eugene
Garfield

Eugene Garfield, President of ASIS
Chairman Emeritus, ISI, 3501 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Publisher, THE SCIENTIST, 3600 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 and
www.the-scientist.com
Tel: 215-243-2205 // Fax: 215-387-1266
email:  garfield at codex.cis.upenn.edu
Home Page: http://garfield.library.upenn.edu