Bibliometrics as Weapons of Mass Citation La bibliométrie comme arme de citation massive

Authors

  • Antoinette Molinié Maison de l'Archéologie et de l'Ethnologie (MAE), Université de Paris-Ouest Nanterre La Défense, 21 Allée de l'Université, 92023 Nanterre Cedex, France;, Email: antoinette.molinie@mae.u-paris10.fr
  • Geoffrey Bodenhausen Département de Chimie, associé au CNRS, Ecole Normale Supérieure, 24 rue Lhomond, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France, Institut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne;, Email: Geoffrey.Bodenhausen@epfl.ch

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2010.78

Keywords:

Bibliometrics, Citation indices, Eigenfactors, H-factors, Fun factors, Impact factors, Science policy, Teaching factors

Abstract

The allocation of resources for research is increasingly based on so-called 'bibliometrics'. Scientists are now deemed to be successful on the sole condition that their work be abundantly cited. This world-wide trend appears to enjoy support not only by granting agencies (whose task is obviously simplified by extensive recourse to bibliometrics), but also by the scientists themselves (who seem to enjoy their status of celebrities). This trend appears to be fraught with dangers, particularly in the area of social sciences, where bibliometrics are less developed, and where monographs (which are not taken into account in citation indexes) are often more important than articles published in journals. We argue in favour of a return to the values of 'real science', in analogy to the much-promised return to a 'real economy'. While economists may strive towards a more objective evaluation of the prospects of a company, a market, or an industrial sector, we scientists can only base our appraisal on a responsible practice of peer review. Since we fear that decision-takers of granting agencies such as the FNRS, CTI, EPFL, ETHZ, ANR, CNRS, NIH, NSF, DOE,[1] etc. will be too busy to read our humble paper in Chimia, we appeal to scientists of all countries and disciplines to unite against the tyranny of bibliometrics.

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Published

2010-02-26