The preprint is out – Our comments to Fry et al. (2023)
This time in English. So please bear with our English…
Firstly, we would like to express our gratitude to Fry et al. (2023) for their contribution to the research assessment situation in Indonesia. Their work highlights technical issues regarding the controversial SINTA Platform, positive feedback on efforts made, and the importance of data sharing for scientific development. We appreciate their efforts and would like to build upon their work to clarify some points for international audiences, particularly those from low- and middle-income countries.
Our argument is that Fry et al. (2023) provided an overview of the research ecosystem in Indonesia that only drew upon a narrow set of references, potentially resulting in inaccuracies and oversimplifications. To achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the SINTA platform or any other national-level assessment platform, Fry et al. (2023) should broaden their sources and include a diverse range of references. We believe that it is essential to engage with various stakeholders to gain a nuanced understanding of the local context and challenges confronting researchers in Indonesia.
Despite the growing trend of researchers leaving metric-based evaluation systems, Fry et al. (2023) continue to highlight the benefits of this approach. However, we believe that it is important to prioritize research integrity over traditional metrics and rankings. Good practices are necessary to ensure that research is conducted with the highest standards of quality.
Establishing the significance and relevance of research in low- to middle-income countries, such as Indonesia, requires aligning research funding allocation with national development priorities. However, Fry et al. (2023) did not address this concept before proposing that the SINTA platform is a low-cost and appropriate option for these nations. We believe that this issue deserves more attention and discussion.
Although Fry et al. (2023) suggest that the SINTA platform, or similar alternatives, are effective options for enhancing national scientific productivity, they overlook the fact that SINTA acts as a gatekeeper for scholarly works produced by Indonesian researchers. This issue is compounded by the ministry’s reliance on the SINTA platform to evaluate staff performance and reputation. We hope that Fry et al. (2023) can consider these points in their future work on research assessment in Indonesia.
Preprint version. https://rinarxiv.lipi.go.id/lipi/preprint/view/724
Original Fry et al. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2023.104753
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