The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Technology issued a document requesting universities to standardize the use of relevant indicators of SCI papers.
Recently, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Technology issued "Several Opinions on Standardizing the Use of Relevant Indicators of SCI Papers in Colleges and Universities and Establishing Correct Evaluation Orientation" (hereinafter referred to as "Opinions"), which put forward clear requirements for breaking the "SCI supremacy" of papers.
"Colleges and universities should take breaking the paper" ‘SCI first "as a breakthrough, make a small incision and make a big turn, come up with practical and hard moves with strong pertinence and operability, break the" only paper "and establish a correct evaluation orientation." The head of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Education said.
The related indexes of SCI papers are directly used for scientific research evaluation, which has great limitations.
The General Secretary of the Supreme Leader clearly pointed out at the National Education Conference that it is necessary to deepen the reform of the education system, improve the implementation mechanism of moral education, reverse the unscientific orientation of education evaluation, resolutely overcome the stubborn disease of only grades, only studies, only diplomas, only papers and only hats, and fundamentally solve the baton problem of education evaluation.
In recent years, there is a strong voice from all walks of life to break the "SCI supremacy" of papers and optimize academic ecology. "The related indicators of SCI papers have become the core indicators of academic evaluation, professional title evaluation, performance appraisal, talent evaluation, subject evaluation, resource allocation, school ranking, etc., which makes the scientific research work of colleges and universities excessively pursue the related indicators of SCI papers, and even the alienation with the basic goal of publishing the number of SCI papers, high-impact papers and highly cited papers, and scientific and technological innovation has problems such as distorted value pursuit, exaggerated and impetuous style of study and quick success." The "Opinions" pointed out.
According to reports, SCI is a widely used index system of scientific and technological documents at home and abroad. Just like the book classification card in the library, as a classified database, it helps scientific and technological workers to consult the latest documents, track academic frontiers and carry out scientific research by counting the research fields, directions and cited frequencies of papers.
"The relevant indicators of SCI papers are directly used for scientific research evaluation, which has great limitations." The person in charge of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Education introduced that the essence of SCI is a document indexing system, not an evaluation system, and SCI papers cannot be simply equated with high-level papers. The number of citations reflects the attention of papers, but not the innovation level and substantive contribution. A high number of cited papers means more academic research hotspots. At the same time, the relevant indicators of SCI papers can not fully reflect the contribution of scientific and technological innovation, and are not suitable for the evaluation of technological innovation and achievement transformation.
Breaking the "supremacy of SCI" is not to deny SCI, nor to oppose the publication of papers.
What are the specific measures to standardize the use of related indicators of SCI papers in colleges and universities? The Opinions lists a "negative list":
Improve discipline and school evaluation. Reduce the ranking evaluation of disciplines and schools, and adhere to classification and field evaluation. In the evaluation, we should highlight the quality of innovation and actual contribution, carefully select quantitative indicators such as the number of SCI papers, and guide social institutions to scientifically carry out university evaluation rankings.
Optimize the evaluation and employment methods of professional titles (positions). In the evaluation and employment of professional titles (positions), it is necessary to establish a classified evaluation index system, focusing on the suitability of people and posts, and not taking the relevant indicators of SCI papers as the direct basis for the evaluation and employment of professional titles (positions) and as the precondition for the employment of personnel.
Reverse the utilitarian tendency of assessment and reward. It is not appropriate for schools to set requirements for academic departments and individuals’ paper indicators, and to remove the direct link between related indicators of SCI papers and resource allocation and performance rewards.
Scientifically set quality standards for degree awarding. Guide schools to set reasonable quality standards for degree awarding according to the characteristics of disciplines, and it is not appropriate to take the number of published SCI papers and influencing factors as restrictive conditions for students’ graduation and degree awarding.
Establish a correct policy orientation. Colleges and universities and their competent departments should shoulder the responsibility of leading the construction of academic culture, have confidence and determination, and do not accept the letter in public opinion propaganda, and do not publish information such as rankings compiled with the relevant indicators of SCI papers as the core.
Then, after the publication of the Opinions, does it mean that papers will no longer be read in various reviews in the future?
"This understanding is wrong. The introduction of the document breaks the paper’ SCI supremacy’, not denying SCI, nor opposing the publication of the paper." The person in charge of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Education clearly stated that papers are a manifestation of scientific and technological innovation achievements and an important carrier of academic exchanges. We encourage the publication of academic papers with high level, high quality, innovative value and service contribution. However, in academic evaluation, the innovation level can not be judged simply by the relevant indicators of SCI papers; In all kinds of evaluation activities, it is necessary to rationally use relevant indicators and adopt a comprehensive evaluation method combining qualitative and quantitative methods to guide the evaluation work to highlight scientific spirit, innovative quality and service contribution.
Scientific evaluation of academic level, different types of scientific research evaluation do not engage in "one size fits all"
How to scientifically evaluate the academic level is a complex problem, and different types of scientific research work can not be "one size fits all".
The "Opinions" pointed out that for basic research, papers are the main expression form of results output, and "judging papers by journals" is resolutely abandoned. The evaluation focus is on the innovation level and scientific value of papers, and the relevant indicators of SCI papers are not used as the direct judgment basis; For applied research and technological innovation, the evaluation focuses on the actual contribution to solving key technical problems in production practice, and the actual effect of bringing new technologies, new products and new processes to realize industrial application, instead of taking the paper as a single evaluation basis; Papers are generally not used as evaluation indicators for scientific research and transformation of scientific and technological achievements serving national defense.
"We should improve the academic peer evaluation and really play the role of peer experts. In the evaluation, guide experts to not simply replace professional judgment with relevant indicators of SCI papers, provide professional evaluation opinions responsibly, and advocate the establishment of a reputation system for evaluation experts. " The person in charge of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Education introduced that the next step is to greatly reduce the "three evaluations" such as project evaluation, talent evaluation and institutional evaluation. The evaluation indicators and methods should be fully listened to, and the evaluation methods should be representative evaluation, and the application materials should be streamlined and optimized. It is no longer required to fill in the relevant indicators of SCI papers.
The reporter noted that some of the Opinions were expressed as "not allowed", such as "not directly linked to SCI related indicators when allocating resources"; Some statements are "inappropriate", such as "it is not appropriate for schools to issue quantitative requirements for related indicators of SCI papers to departments and individuals in performance and employment period assessment".
The person in charge of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Education introduced that the use of "no" in terms of utilitarian tendencies means that it is explicitly prohibited and resolutely abandoned existing practices; The use of "inappropriate" is based on the fact that there are still great differences in the development level of colleges and universities in China, and the characteristics and requirements of different disciplines are also different, giving schools certain policy flexibility. For example, in the document, "the number of published SCI papers and impact factors should not be used as restrictive conditions for students’ graduation and degree awarding", which indicates that it is opposed to making rigid regulations at the school level. However, in the process of talent training, it is reasonable for tutors and departments to put forward corresponding requirements for students from the perspective of scientific research ability training and scientific research practice training, which is also in line with the needs of talent training.
"The Ministry of Education will inspect the clean-up and rectification of all units through supervision and other means. For units that do not carefully check, refuse to rectify, and have serious problems, they must adopt interviews, informed criticism, etc., and pursue leadership responsibilities. " The head of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Education said. (Reporter Zhang Shuo)