Bottom-up implementation of Leiden Manifesto

Leiden Manifesto (LM) is ten principles to guide quantitative research evaluation.1 Universities have launched policies on responsible metrics inspired by LM.2 As supplement or alternative to these top-down implementations, we explore a bottom-up approach.

A sound bibliometric analysis that meets the requests from clients, e.g. management and researchers at a university, can be a demanding task. The foci of bibliometricians and clients do not always overlap.3,4 We test if LM can be used as a “consumer label” on a bibliometric analysis, providing clients with information about the contents and facilitating responsible use. The goal is to improve how applied bibliometrics are conducted and used.

We select two typical cases from Copenhagen University Library Bibliometric Service. The first is a bibliometric analysis of the research from a department at the university. The second is a calculation of an h-index for a research proposal. LM is used as a “consumer label” for both analyses. 

Based on the two cases, we see the following potentials in using the ten LM principles as a “consumer label” on a bibliometric analysis.

- Evaluation of own practice. E.g. bibliometricians could do more to ensure that those evaluated verify and thus legitimize the analysis (Principle 5).

- Advise clients on use of the analysis. E.g. remind clients that not all research activities and publications are covered and how this can affect the results and use of the analysis (Principle 3).

- Emphasize division of responsibilities. E.g. it is the responsibility of the client to supply the research mission and of the bibliometrician to select appropriate indicators (Principle 2).3

1. Hicks, D., Wouters, P., Waltman, L., de Rijcke, S. & Rafols, I. Bibliometrics: The Leiden Manifest for Research Metrics. Nature 520, 429–431 (2015).

2. Hicks, D., Wouters, P., Waltman, L., de Rijcke, S. & Rafols, I. Leiden Manifesto for research metrics: Blog. Available at: http://www.leidenmanifesto.org/blog. (Accessed: 6th August 2017)

3. Wildgaard, L., Andersern, J. P., Larsen, K. S., Price, A. & Gauffriau, M. Can we implement the Leiden Manifesto principles in our daily work with research indicators? (2016).

4. Hammarfelt, B. & Rushforth, A. D. Indicators as judgment devices: Citizen bibliometrics in biomedicine and economics. (2016).