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Research quality assessment: Objectives, approaches, responses and consequences

This chapter has two main elements. First, a critical comparative review of RQA practices around the world demonstrates a lack of consensus about objectives, processes and criteria – and a lack of alignment between means and ends. The impact of such ambiguity and inconsistency is examined in a UK context using data from a web-based survey of 280 academics and an email enquiry of a small sample of social scientists with a research publication record. The game-playing responses identified provide evidence of a need for a more open process with clearer objectives and criteria.