Research & Scholarly Publications Team: Metrics

This resource will introduce you to what metrics are and how to use them responsibly. It supports the understanding and implementation of the University's Standard on Responsible Metrics which can be found here.

There are a number of benefits for the individual, a research group and the institution, in using metrics to support qualitative methods of assessing research activities.

For an individual, metrics can provide a useful insight into how their research may have been disseminated and used. They can provide a mechanism to benchmark against peers and support future applications for funding and progression. They can also help to identify key researchers and outputs, places to publish and potential collaborators within a particular field.

For a research group or faculty, metrics can be used to measure performance against similar research groups in other institutions.  They can also help evaluate and develop strategies for research as a group and to identify potential recruitment and collaboration opportunities.  

For an institution, metrics can be used to measure performance against corporate plans and targets.  They can also be used to inform research strategies, to improve prestige, to support staff and student recruitment, and to identify potential funding opportunities.  

However, metrics can be complex and the misuse of them can be damaging to both individuals and organisations.  It is essential that the way in which metrics are used is clear, fair and transparent.

As outlined in the Metric Tide report, responsible metrics can be defined by the following key principles:

• Robustness – basing metrics on the best possible data in terms of accuracy and scope
• Humility – recognising that quantitative evaluation should support, but not supplant, qualitative, expert assessment
• Transparency – ensuring that those being evaluated can test and verify the results
• Diversity – accounting for variation by research field, and using a range of indicators to reflect and support a plurality of research and researcher career paths across the system
• Reflexivity – recognising and anticipating the systemic and potential effects of indicators, and updating them in response

The following sections in this resource are based on the SCOPE process developed by the INORMS Research Evaluation Working Group for evaluating responsibly. They are intended to help you understand some of the options available and the limitations of different approaches.