Methodological considerations on the use of the normalized impact in the Severo Ochoa and Mar\'ia de Maetzu programmes

TL;DR

This paper critically examines the normalized impact metric used in Spanish research excellence programs, analyzing its origins, variants, limitations, and proposing recommendations for more accurate evaluation practices.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of the normalized impact indicator's origins, variants, and limitations, along with practical recommendations for its improved use in research evaluation.

Findings

Normalized impact originated in the 1980s and has multiple variants.

The indicator has notable limitations in evaluative contexts.

Practical recommendations are proposed for better use of impact metrics.

Abstract

In 2011, the programme for Severo Ochoa Centers of Excellence and Mar\'ia de Maeztu Units of Excellence was launched for the first time. Since this programme has become one of the axes of the Spanish scientific policy. 186 million euros have been distributed and 26 centers and 16 units have been accredited. One of the most relevant criteria for submission is the need for guarantor researchers to have a Normalized Impact of 1.5. In this work, we critically analyze the origin of this bibliometric indicator rooted in the 1980s, the different variants that have been proposed and the limitations its use in this programme have. Finally, we offer a series of practical recommendations for a more accurate use of normalized impact indicators for evaluative purposes.