The Assessment of Research Quality in UK Universities: Peer Review or Metrics

[Eugene Garfield]

The Assessment of Research Quality in UK Universities: Peer Review or 
Metrics?

Author(s): Taylor, J (Taylor, Jim)
Source: BRITISH JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT  Volume: 22  Issue: 2  Pages: 202-
217  DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8551.2010.00722.x  Published: JUN 2011  

Abstract: This paper investigates the extent to which the outcomes of the 
2008 Research Assessment Exercise in the UK, determined by peer review, can 
be explained by a set of quantitative indicators. Three cognate units of 
assessment are examined in detail: business and management, economics and 
econometrics, and accounting and finance. The main finding is that each of the 
three components of research activity (namely, research output, esteem and 
research environment) is highly correlated with various quantitative indicators. 
A further finding is that the judgement of the Research Assessment Exercise 
panels was biased in favour of Russell Group universities. There is also evidence 
of bias by the economics and econometrics panel. The results support the use 
of quantitative indicators in the research assessment process, particularly a 
journal quality index. Requiring the panels to take bibliometric indicators into 
account should help not only to reduce the workload of panels but also to 
mitigate the problem of implicit bias.
Language: English
Document Type: Article

KeyWords Plus: RESEARCH ASSESSMENT EXERCISE; STATISTICAL-ANALYSIS; 
ECONOMICS JOURNALS; RELATIVE IMPACTS; MANAGEMENT; BUSINESS; 
EFFICIENCY; RANKINGS; CITATIONS; SYSTEM

Addresses: Univ Lancaster, Sch Management, Dept Econ, Lancaster LA1 4YX, 
England
Reprint Address: Taylor, J (reprint author), Univ Lancaster, Sch Management, 
Dept Econ, Lancaster LA1 4YX, England

E-mail Address: jim.taylor at lancaster.ac.uk
ISSN: 1045-3172
URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-
8551.2010.00722.x/abstract