Average Quote by Randy Schekman
“It is common, and encouraged by many journals, for research to be judged by the impact factor of the journal that publishes it. But as a journal's score is an average, it says little about the quality of any individual piece of research.”
About This Quote
Impact factor reflects average journal quality, not the merit of individual articles, yet it heavily influences research evaluation.
In simple terms: Impact factor is an average, not a measure of each paper's quality.
Key Takeaway
Assess research on its own merits.
Themes
research evaluation
metrics
academic publishing
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
informational
analytical
When to use this quote
- grant applications
- career advancement
Key Concepts
impact factor
quality assessment
peer review
Questions to Reflect On
- How can researchers showcase quality beyond metrics?
- What alternatives exist for evaluating research?
A Different Perspective
relying on impact factor can misjudge valuable work.
