Counting the buttons: rewarding research

Abstract

Should and/or could journal impact factors be used in a result-based plan for financing research, which primarily rewards scientific quality documented through publications or other ”products”? This was proposed 28 February 2003 by the Publishing Committee at the University of Oslo. According to the Senate, the University's highest administrative and academic authority, up to 100 million Norwegian Crowns could be allocated using the proposed model. The University of Oslo Library was very critical to the proposal and meant that journal impact factors could not be used as a basis of a model for a result-based scheme for financing research which primarily rewards scientific quality documented by publications or other ”products”.