Contradictions of the myths of scientometrics

Abstract

The aim of this study is to deal with a well-known paradox of scientific life, overvaluation, and the mechanical application of the scientometric assessment of research performance in the belief that this method is objective and guarantees equal and fair treatment for all fields of science. While it works in some disciplines, in fact, it leads to the devaluation of quality research effort, and discourages, even kills the will to conduct research in some others. After reviewing the historical and theoretical background, the present state of affairs is discussed, with a focus on the Hungarian Database of Scientific Publications (MTMT) of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The paper then moves on to the beliefs and misbeliefs, directions and misdirections of scientometrics. By way of a summary and conclusion, an attempt is made to formulate conformist and nonconformist strategies that researchers may develop in response to the very contradictory nature of scientometric evaluation.