Building on a Decade of Leadership in Research Assessment
The University of Waterloo has released Measuring Research Outputs with Bibliometrics, a major update to its 2016 White Paper on Bibliometrics and Research Impact. The new position paper reinforces Waterloo's leadership in responsible research assessment and provides a modern framework for understanding research impact across disciplines.
A collaborative effort
The update is the result of a multi-year collaboration undertaken by the Bibliometrics Working Group, which includes representatives from the Libraries, Institutional Analysis and Planning, Office of Research and all six faculties.
Laura Bredahl, Bibliometrics & Research Impact Librarian, led an extensive campus consultation that examined emerging issues and incorporated new evidence, practical guidance and community feedback into the position paper.
Ian Milligan, who chaired the Bibliometrics Working Group while serving in the Office of the Vice-President, Research and International, says the update reflects the needs of a more diverse campus community.
“Humanists and social scientists have long had a fraught relationship with bibliometrics. Our work often appears in books, public engagement activities, and datasets that are not always reflected in traditional metrics. This new position paper takes those forms of impact seriously.”
What's new
The paper significantly expands the scope of the original publication to address key developments in research assessment. New content includes:
- Guidance for assessing research in the arts, humanities and social sciences
- Alternative metrics and broader measures of impact
- Equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility and Indigeneity considerations
- Interdisciplinary and collaborative research
- Reflections on COVID-19's impact on research activity
- Practical recommendations for the responsible use of metrics
The paper also recognizes that research impact extends beyond publications and citations to include public engagement, knowledge mobilization and other contributions to society.
A resource for Waterloo and beyond
At its core, the position paper promotes the responsible use of research metrics, emphasizing that bibliometrics should be considered alongside expert judgment and other evidence. It provides practical guidance for researchers, administrators and libraries while acknowledging the limitations of metrics when used in isolation.
University Librarian Beth Namachchivaya says the Libraries' leadership in the revision reflects a longstanding commitment to responsible research assessment and informed use of bibliometric indicators.
“Waterloo's 2016 white paper helped shape international conversations about the responsible use of bibliometrics. This revised position paper builds on that legacy, providing librarians, researchers and academic leaders with a contemporary framework for assessing research impact thoughtfully, transparently and in context.”
Now Director of the School of Social, Political and Historical Research in the Faculty of Arts, Milligan says the paper will remain a valuable resource for academic leaders: “This revised guidance recognizes that metrics have limits. It gives chairs, directors and committees a practical resource to reach for.”
While developed for the Waterloo community, the resource offers guidance that is applicable across higher education. By making the position paper openly available, Waterloo continues its decade-long commitment to informed, equitable and meaningful research assessment.
Measuring Research Outputs with Bibliometrics is now openly available through UWSpace.