Measuring the match between evaluators and evaluees: cognitive distances between panel members and research groups at the journal level

• Published in: Scientometrics Vol. 109; no. 3; pp. 1639 - 1663
• Main Authors: Rahman, A. I. M. Jakaria, Guns, Raf, Leydesdorff, Loet, Engels, Tim C. E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.12.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Academic publications; Barycenter; Categories; Center of gravity; Cognitive ability; Computer Science; Confidence intervals; Experts; Information Storage and Retrieval; Journal overlay map; Library Science; Matching research expertise; Mathematical analysis; Matrix methods; Research evaluation; Similarity; Similarity matrix; Similarity-adapted publication vector; Belgium; Antwerp Belgium; Matching research expertise; Barycenter; Similarity matrix; Similarity-adapted publication vector; Research evaluation; Journal overlay map
• ISSN: 0138-9130; 1588-2861; 1588-2861
• DOI: 10.1007/s11192-016-2132-x

When research groups are evaluated by an expert panel, it is an open question how one can determine the match between panel and research groups. In this paper, we outline two quantitative approaches that determine the cognitive distance between evaluators and evaluees, based on the journals they have published in. We use example data from four research evaluations carried out between 2009 and 2014 at the University of Antwerp. While the barycenter approach is based on a journal map, the similarity-adapted publication vector (SAPV) approach is based on the full journal similarity matrix. Both approaches determine an entity’s profile based on the journals in which it has published. Subsequently, we determine the Euclidean distance between the barycenter or SAPV profiles of two entities as an indicator of the cognitive distance between them. Using a bootstrapping approach, we determine confidence intervals for these distances. As such, the present article constitutes a refinement of a previous proposal that operates on the level of Web of Science subject categories.