[csaa-forum] removal of journal ranking system

[Andrew Murphie]

Thanks Tseen,

that's actually a very encouraging and intelligent response from our Science
colleagues, I must say.

all the best, andrew

On 31 May 2011 13:37, Tseen-Ling Khoo <tseen-ling.khoo at rmit.edu.au> wrote:

>  Further to what Andrew Murphie just said about the Science Academy: I
> just received this (below) via another list.
>
> Tseen
>
> -----------
>
> *Science Academy welcomes decision to drop ERA journal rankings
> *
>
> The Australian Academy of Science welcomed today's decision by the
> Government and the Australian Research Council to end the system of
> ranking academic journals as A*, A, B and C.
> The ranking system was a highly controversial component of the
> Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) assessment of university
> disciplines.
> Science Minister Kim Carr today announced that the rankings system will
> end, giving more authority to the panels that examine and assess
> research activities undertaken around Australian universities on a
> discipline-by-discipline basis.
> Australian Academy of Science Secretary for Science Policy Professor Bob
> Williamson said the new approach is much more appropriate than
> bibliometric assessments of disciplines.
> "In our recent submission to the Australian Research Council, the
> Australian Academy of Science argued strongly that key areas such as
> interdisciplinary research and new research were seriously disadvantaged
> by journal ranking," Professor Williamson said.
> "This affected not only areas of science and technology, but also
> interactions between the sciences and the humanities."
> "It has been very distressing to see some universities using
> publications in highly ranked journals as the basis for funding,
> promotions, and even staff appointments.
> "The ranking of a journal as A* does not mean every paper in it is first
> rate, and some very good papers may appear in smaller journals.
> "People whose work is very relevant to Australian issues rather than
> internationally, and those in new fields or collaborating between
> several universities, have been particularly disadvantaged."
> The Academy's submission to the Australian Research Council (ARC) ERA
> consultation process earlier this year urged a move towards the type of
> peer-review system announced today.
> "We welcomed most features of the ERA, and today's announcement has
> removed the single biggest problem," Professor Williamson said.
> "The integrity of science relies upon this type of peer review. The
> Academy commends Minister Carr for recognising that this process also
> should be integral to assessing the quality of Australian research."
> The Academy's submission is available at
> www.science.org.au/reports/documents/era-submission%20.pdf
> Professor Williamson is available for comment until 7:15pm today on 0409
> 706 255.
>
>
>
>
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-- 

"A traveller, who has lost his way, should not ask, Where am I? What he
really wants to know is, Where are the other places" - Alfred North
Whitehead

Andrew Murphie - Associate Professor
School of English, Media and Performing Arts, University of New South Wales,
Sydney, Australia, 2052
Editor - The Fibreculture Journal http://fibreculturejournal.org/>
web: http://www.andrewmurphie.org/  http://dynamicmedianetwork.org/

fax:612 93856812 tlf:612 93855548 email: a.murphie at unsw.edu.au
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