Over-emphasizing non-scientific factors in research evaluation can lead to potential drawbacks and unintended consequences. One major concern is the risk of bias or subjectivity in evaluating these factors, which may not always align with the actual impact of the research. This could result in overlooking high-quality research with significant scholarly impact but fewer non-scientific attributes. Additionally, focusing too much on non-scientific factors may divert attention from the core scientific quality of research outputs, potentially compromising the integrity of the evaluation process.
To mitigate these issues, it is essential to strike a balance between assessing non-scientific factors and maintaining a rigorous evaluation of research quality. Clear guidelines and criteria should be established for evaluating non-scientific attributes to ensure consistency and fairness in the assessment process. Transparency in decision-making and accountability in evaluating these factors can help mitigate biases. Furthermore, continuous monitoring and feedback mechanisms can help identify and address any unintended consequences of over-emphasizing non-scientific factors in research evaluation.