engleski

How do scientists perceive scientific quality?

Perceptions of scientific quality were investigated using a qualitative research method – open-ended questions. Our respondents proved to understand scientific quality in a way similar to the understanding of Swedish scientists (Hemlin, 1993). This confirms the claim that scientists from different countries basically develop similar concepts of scientific quality (Hemlin, 2009). Differentiation between natural and social scientists in giving prominence to individual aspects or parts of the research process and the quality attributes ascribed to them is statistically relevant, but the similarities of their concepts of scientific quality are also indubitable. In both scientific areas, quality is most often mentioned in regard to scientific results and/or cognitions (knowledge), and the research problem is ranked third. However, methods are the second most frequently mentioned aspect in the social sciences, while scientific production has the same position in the natural sciences. Despite the same rating of attributes of scientific excellence, social scientists tend to highlight solidity of research more often than natural scientists. The perceptions of the measurability of scientific quality are structured similarly in both fields and no significant differences have been determined among them. Those convinced in the measurability of quality are relatively the most numerous, but while natural scientists more often tend to see bibliometric and scientometric methods as relatively reliable, social scientists do not consider them as the most suitable for measuring excellence.

scientific quality, aspects and atributes of scientific quality, measurability of scientifc quality, natural sciences, social sciences

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