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Measuring Research Quality
- Scientific research quality is often measured using bibliometrics or expert panels.
- These methods, while seemingly objective, can be gamed, incentivizing researchers to chase metrics rather than true discovery.
Gaming the System
- Scientists may strategically choose research agendas to maximize citations, not knowledge.
- Joining large collaborations and focusing on fashionable topics inflate citation counts but can stifle truly innovative work.
Diversify Research
- Instead of seeking a single "best" research direction, fund a diverse portfolio of approaches, even mutually inconsistent ones.
- This allows for exploration of unconventional ideas, like in quantum gravity, without premature judgment.