Finding “good enough” metrics for the UK’s research excellence framework

– The purpose of this paper is to encourage discussion about the potential role of metrics in research assessment.

– The paper considers the results of the UK’s 2014 Research Excellence Framework, and the potential of metrics to reduce the size of future exercises.

– The paper suggests that a battery of non-robust metrics selected by the higher education institutions could support a greatly reduced peer-reviewed exercise.

– Policy makers should reconsider the role of metrics in research assessment.

– The paper provides an alternative vision of the role of metrics in research assessment, and will be of interest to policy makers, bibliometricians, and anyone interested in HEI research assessment.