Dilemma and Governance of Peer Review in Humanities and Social Sciences Research

1. Dilemma and Governance of Peer Review in Humanities and Social Sciences Research CHUNLIN JIANG WISE Lab & Science of Science and Management of Technology Research Institute, Dalian University of Technology

2. Differences between the natural science and social sciences including the humanities. • What are the common methodology of natural science and social sciences evaluation? • Brief introduction to a project granted by the Nation Philosophy and Social Sciences Foundation of China about the combination the peer review with scientometrics in social sciences evaluation.

3. Ⅰ we know that natural sciences research aims to explore inherent principles of nature, and the research outcome is regarded as such characters of objectivity，uniqueness, creativity，rationality ，non-ideology and repeat. The outcome forms is generally represented by journal paper，conference paper and monograph etc.. But as to the social sciences, it is charactered by subjective，diversity, ideology，region oriented and less consistency.

4. Besides the journal paper, outcomes of the social sciences are published by monograph, chapters and research reports etc.,and monograph is a larger ratio of them (seen some research results from social sciences quantitative studies in the journal scientometrics published in the Netherland and the other LIS journals in SSCI)

5. Ⅱ In management fields, a motto, scientific management is impossible without scientific evaluation, is well known. In science fields, we make sure that this motto is also reasonable. We have learn that the peer review as a main evaluation way is proved effectively.

6. At the age of little science，scientists were engaged in science study due to their curiosity mostly，science had hardly relation with fame and money. With the shift from little science to big science，the social function of science is making more and more extensive，science was given more profit. At present，“publish or perish” as a main principle are make popular in modern academy system，so peer review appears especial important.

7. In natural science fields，peer review，a significant quality control mechanism，is almost acknowledged. But in humanities and social sciences fields，its research outcomes show some characteristics of subjectivity and social construction，which are very largely different from natural science.

8. The rule of “old good boy”and reviewers’ integrity lead to more challenges than before，which hinder new ideas and fresh researchers to science community. Inner challenges of science community and external policy demands of government are forcing peer reviewers to innovate in evaluation idea and process.

9. Ⅲ Based on the above mentioned，last year I designed a research plan about peer review in social sciences. After communication evaluation and panel evaluation, I am very lucky that this project（code:11BTQ21) was funded by the National Philosophy and Social Sciences Foundation of China. Now I am very glad to introduce some contents about it briefly, and hope that I can study and share a lot of meaningful advices from all of you.

10. Background In recent years, the national and provincial department funds have set up many projects on humanities and social science evaluation topic. For example, the significant research project from national social science fund "research on establishing and improving the philosophy and social science evaluation system" (048 ZD031), the key project from national social science fund (05 AZX004), the emergency project from ministry of education on humanities and social science research"advancing philosophy social science discipline system, academic point,

11. scientific research method innovation research" (2008 JYJW028), etc. There are emerging a representative group scholar with high yield such as QiuJunPing, YeJiYuan、LiuDaChun、liu Ming、SuXinNing、RenQuanE、ZhuShaoJiangIn etc in the library and information science ,science of science,editorial study,philosophy and the science and technology management filed.

12. Present research in china and abroad we download literature data from the Chinese social sciences citation index (1998-2008) on humanities and social science evaluation research.Using the information visualization software (bibexcel) to draw knowledge mapping, and we can see that SCI located in the network center, with the biggest betweeness centrality (the ability to control other nodes in the network ) , which is the most important node in the network. It reflects the continuing concern about the SCI and the SSCI in academic circles in recent years.

13. The core journals, scientific research evaluation, achievement evaluation with lower priority among the nodes. As is known to all, the core journal is a hit topic in chinese academic circles which can not easy to neglect. Based on the different "stakeholder" (core journals, non-core journals, research management department, scholars, evaluation departments, layout fee, etc) the gamble is still growing vigorously. At present, problems about core journal's theoretical basis, basic intention, research method and the application of scientific research evaluation still remain controversial.

16. Glänzel, W., HICKS, D, ANTON J. NEDERHOF, Moed, H.F, LUWEL, M., THED N. VAN LEEUWEN, and ANTHONY F. J. VAN RAAN et al. do the research about case studies and new methods of the performance evaluation for the humanities and social sciences based on scientometrics. The basic conclusion include: The publication type of the humanities and social sciences  is more diverse than that of the natural science.

17. The research question of humanities and social sciences is more geographical orientation. The SSCI and A&HCI are not cover the whole subjects and papers of humanities and social sciences. Some papers to a certain extent research the international comparison of performance of economics and psychology. When somebody would like to evaluate the humanities and social sciences based on the scientometrics methods, the indicators should be adjusted. The best method is combination peer review with scientometrics, and so on.

18. Main contents of this project part1. The evaluation research of humanities and social sciences at home and abroad 1.1 The evaluation research of humanities and social sciences abroad in detail. 1.2 The evaluation research of humanities and social sciences in china in detail.

19. Part2. The system analysis of the evaluation of humanities and social sciences  • 2.1 The nature of the evaluation of humanities and social sciences • 2.2 The key elements of the evaluation system of  humanities and social sciences 要素 • 2.3 The structural analysis of the evaluation system of  humanities and social sciences • 2.4 The functional analysis of the evaluation system of  humanities and social sciences

20. Part 3. The mechanism combination peer review with scientometrics. • 3.1 The coupling mechanism between peer review and scientometrics. • 3.2 The synergy mechanism between peer review and scientometrics. • 3.3 The coherent mechanism between peer review and scientometrics. • 3.4 The infiltration mechanism between peer review and scientometrics. • 3.5 The phase mechanism between peer review and scientometrics.

21. Part 4.The application exploration of combining peer review and scientometrics. • 4.1 Research project evaluation of humanities and social sciences • 4.2 Research institution evaluation of humanities and social sciences • 4.3 Academic journal evaluation of humanities and social sciences • 4.4 Academic paper evaluation of humanities and social sciences

22. Thank you!