¿Es adecuado el sistema español de evaluación de la actividad investigadora para su aplicación a las Ciencias de la Tierra y otros campos afines?

Abstract

Through the survey «Research activities in the R&D system in Earth Sciences in Spain (1990-1994)>>, information about different aspects of the professional activity of Spanish researchers in this field has been retrieved, as well as their opinion about prevailing research evaluation criteria. Starting from survey's results, we discuss the suitability of the present Spanish scientific evaluation system for assessing research activity of said researchers. Results show scientist's disagreement with the prevailing evaluation procedures and criteria. More than 70 % of both University and CSIC researchers consider that evaluation criteria are inappropriate or unacceptable, being this percentage significantly higher than the obtained from scientists belonging to other institutions. Disagreement with evaluation criteria is significantly lower among authors that only publish in foreign journals. Positive correlation has been found between opinion about evaluation criteria and the level of consolidation and stability of research teams. Main cause of disagreement is concerned with the over-valuation of papers published in SCI journals and the scarce consideration given to high quality papers published in serious domestic journals and to other scientific contributions. Results suggest that the evaluation system could have been detrimental to researchers working in some scientific fields, but does not seem to have discriminate among basic and applied research or among research of local or national interest and those more internationally-oriented. The research evaluation system should consider the idiosyncrasy of the different scientific fields, as well as their particular and distinctive characteristics and dynamics. It should take into the adequate consideration quality scientific work that, despite being of particular importance in fields as Earth Sciences, is not published in SCI joumals.