What is Behind the Shine? The Dark Side of Research Evaluation: A Conceptual Framework

Abstract

Research evaluation (RE) is presently a widely discussed and prominent subject within the academic community. This article provides a conceptual framework that categorizes the dark side of RE and provides strategies to diminish it. At its core, this framework includes a generic model summarizing RE dark effects and anti-dark effects remedies and elucidating their relations. Four research questions were raised regarding the research interest in the dark side of RE, the nature of the dark effects of RE and remedies for them, their literature prominence, and whether it is possible to create a well-founded model for mitigating the dark side of RE. Theoretically, this framework is based on concepts of the philosophy of science. Methodologically, a structured literature review, methods of expert judgment, analysis and synthesis, and a sampler of 35 articles underpin it. Stakeholder and logical approaches were applied for classification. The suggested framework is the first in-depth attempt to elucidate the dark side of RE and how to mitigate it. In practical terms, the framework can be incorporated into university/government RE systems to “enlighten”/control their dark side, thereby improving the academic governance toolkit. It can also be used to develop subject-area/country-specific models for the dark side of RE.