Liang LM, Wu YS, Li J "Selection of databases, indicators and models for evaluating research performance of Chinese universities"

[Eugene Garfield]

Liming LIANG :  pllm at public.xxptt.ha.cn

TITLE Selection of databases, indicators and models for evaluating
research performance of Chinese universities
AUTHOR Liang LM, Wu YS, Li J
JOURNAL RESEARCH EVALUATION 10 (2): 105-113 AUG 2001

Document type: Article
Language: English
Cited References: 14
Times Cited: 0


Abstract:
Both report-based and derived databases are currently used in the evaluation
exercises of Chinese universities. To examine their respective reliability,
the stratification structures of medical universities are compared. SCL,
Chinese Scientific and Technical Papers and Citations (CSTPC) and Chinese
Science Citation Database (CSCD) are all derived databases that are widely
used in the evaluation of research performance of Chinese universities. What
are the differences among these three databases? How important is the
indicator of publication count in comparison with the quality or impact
indicators? What mathematical model could better describe the rank-frequency
distribution of given evaluation indicators among universities? This paper
tries to answer these questions. Extended negative exponential function
proves to be an appropriate model to fit the rank-frequency distribution
here. A multi-equivalent comprehensive indicator is built and used to
rank universities according to their research performance.

KeyWords Plus:
SCIENCE

Addresses:
Liang LM, Henan Normal Univ, Inst Sci Technol & Soc, Xinxiang 453002,
Peoples R China
Henan Normal Univ, Inst Sci Technol & Soc, Xinxiang 453002, Peoples R China
Educ Commiss Xinxiang, Xinxiang 453000, Peoples R China

Publisher:
BEECH TREE PUBLISHING, GUILDFORD

IDS Number:
477MZ

ISSN:
0958-2029


 Cited Author            Cited Work                Volume      Page
Year

 *DOC INF CTR CHIN     CHIN SCI CIT DAT                                1989
 *DOC INF CTR CHIN     CHIN SCI IND STAT PA                            1998
 *DOC INF CTR CHIN     CHIN SCI IND STAT PA                            1997
 *I SCI TECHN INF C    STAT AN CHIN S T PAP                            1988
 *ISI                  SCI CD ROM                                      1998
 *ISI                  SCI CD ROM                                      1991
 *NAT NSFC             STAT DAT PROJ SUPP N                            1991
 *STAT ED COMM         S T STAT DAT HIGH ED                            1991
 *WANF DAT CO I SCI    CHIN SCI TECHN PAP C                            1988
 KATZ JS               RES POLICY                    28       501      1999
 LIANG L               J LIB INFORMATION SC          20        13      1994
 LIANG L               SCIENTOMETRICS                26       264      1993
 LIANG L               SCIENTOMETRICS INDIC                            1995
 VANRAAN AFJ           SCIENTOMETRICS                47       347      2000




Excerpt from Conclusion and Discussion:
Two important Chinese databases, CSTPC and CSCD, are of different sizes and
have different disciplinary structures, and therefore produce different
evaluation results.  When we evaluate all universities in China, rather than
just one type of university (medical university, for instance), we shuld not
ignore either database.  Once they are used in a comprehensive indicator,
their complementary sizes and disciplinary structures produce an
unexpectedly good result.

China is the largest country in the world in terms of population, but for
many reasons (the language barrier in particular), at present the amount of
paper published by Chinese scientists and covered by SCI (1998) ranks only
twelfth in the world.  Most papers are published in domestic journals.  In
general, SCI covered papers are of higher quality and of stronger impact.
Therefore, international papers and citations as well as domestic papers and
citations are all playing important roles in evaluating academic scientific
research performance.  We should combine the quality with quantity, that is,
combine the international and domestic papers and citations to form a
comprehensive indicator.


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_______________________________________________________________________
Eugene Garfield, PhD.  email: garfield at codex.cis.upenn.edu
home page: www.eugenegarfield.org
Tel: 215-243-2205 Fax 215-387-1266
President, The Scientist LLC. www.the-scientist.com
Chairman Emeritus, ISI www.isinet.com
Past President, American Society for Information Science and Technology
(ASIS&T)  www.asis.org
_______________________________________________________________________