When the meaning of key terms is incompatible in competing taxonomies, a revolution might occur in the field by which the established taxonomy is replaced with another. Since the key term “impact” in scientometrics seems to undergo a taxonomic change, a revolution might be taking place at present: Impact is no longer defined as impact on science alone (measured by citations), but on all sectors of society (e.g. economics, culture, or politics). In this Short Communication, we outline that the current revolution in scientometrics does not only imply a broadening of the impact perspective, but also the devaluation of quality considerations in evaluative contexts. Impact might no longer be seen as a proxy for quality, but in its original sense: the simple resonance in some sectors of society.
['Lutz Bornmann', 'Robin Haunschild']
Does evaluative scientometrics lose its main focus on scientific quality by the new orientation towards societal impact