A New Research Economy: Socio-technical framework to open up lines of credit in the academic community

Abstract

Journal articles have been the gold standard for research and scholarly communication. Specifically, measurements of publication and citation, particularly in high-impact journals, have long been the key means of accruing credit for researchers. In turn, these credits become the currency through which researchers acquire funding and achieve professional success. But, like global trade, tying in to a fixed standard limits wealth distribution and innovation. It is time for the research community to attribute credit for contributions that reflect and drive collaborative innovation, rewarding behaviors that produce better research outcomes.

Keywords

• attribution
• collaboration
• credit
• evaluation
• me