Подготовил письмо главреду US News & World Report
Подготовил письмо главреду US News & World Report. Пока не послал. Есть ли замечания?
Mr. Brian Kelly
Editor & Chief Content Officer
1050 Thomas Jefferson Street NW, 4th Floor
Washington, DC 20007
bkelly@usnews.com
lyons@usnews.com
Dear Mr. Kelly:
I am a faculty member in the University of XXXXXX. I would like to thank you for the ratings of Best US universities and colleges published in US News & World Report. I was particularly pleased to find that my department’s rank has grown this year and that it was steadily growing during the past five years.
However, I would like to share my concern about one particular matter related to the ranking methodology as described in the article "Methodology: 2015 Best Engineering Schools Rankings. Find out how U.S. News ranks graduate engineering programs" by Sam Flanigan and Robert Morse (http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/articles/2014/03/10/methodology-2015-best-engineering-schools-rankings).
In estimating the research activity of faculty, the amount of research expenditures was the only parameter taken into consideration. However, scientific research is about making scientific discoveries and not about making money. The importance of the discoveries, the depth of the ideas and the lasting impact on the scientific field (which is usually measured by citation and journal impact) matter for estimating the quality of research. I personally think that taking into consideration the quality of publication and scientific results as well as their impact on their scientific field is very important. Many international ranking methodologies take scientific quality into account.
Presenting the amount of money spent as the only parameter characterizing the quality of research sends a wrong message to university administrators, such as Deans and Department Chairs. Since most funding agencies are funded by taxpayers, your approach also encourages wasting taxpayer’s money for projects, which are not scientifically sound but money-consuming.
UPDATE: Окей, раз никто ничего не говорит, то отправил.
Mr. Brian Kelly
Editor & Chief Content Officer
1050 Thomas Jefferson Street NW, 4th Floor
Washington, DC 20007
bkelly@usnews.com
lyons@usnews.com
Dear Mr. Kelly:
I am a faculty member in the University of XXXXXX. I would like to thank you for the ratings of Best US universities and colleges published in US News & World Report. I was particularly pleased to find that my department’s rank has grown this year and that it was steadily growing during the past five years.
However, I would like to share my concern about one particular matter related to the ranking methodology as described in the article "Methodology: 2015 Best Engineering Schools Rankings. Find out how U.S. News ranks graduate engineering programs" by Sam Flanigan and Robert Morse (http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/articles/2014/03/10/methodology-2015-best-engineering-schools-rankings).
In estimating the research activity of faculty, the amount of research expenditures was the only parameter taken into consideration. However, scientific research is about making scientific discoveries and not about making money. The importance of the discoveries, the depth of the ideas and the lasting impact on the scientific field (which is usually measured by citation and journal impact) matter for estimating the quality of research. I personally think that taking into consideration the quality of publication and scientific results as well as their impact on their scientific field is very important. Many international ranking methodologies take scientific quality into account.
Presenting the amount of money spent as the only parameter characterizing the quality of research sends a wrong message to university administrators, such as Deans and Department Chairs. Since most funding agencies are funded by taxpayers, your approach also encourages wasting taxpayer’s money for projects, which are not scientifically sound but money-consuming.
UPDATE: Окей, раз никто ничего не говорит, то отправил.