San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA)

DORA emerged in response to a problem identified in research assessment: the use of journal-based metrics, especially the impact factor, to assess articles and inform hiring, promotion or funding decisions. The founding declaration recalls that this indicator was designed to manage journals, not to measure the quality of individual research outputs, and points to limitations such as the uneven distribution of citations, differences between disciplines and the lack of transparency of the data used. DORA therefore proposes that assessment should focus on the content of each contribution, rather than on the metric of the journal in which it is published (DORA, 2012).

On this basis, the initiative pursues several objectives: to reduce the use of journal-based metrics as a proxy for scientific quality; to promote a more appropriate assessment of research outputs; to broaden what is recognised as a relevant contribution, including not only articles but also data and software; and to support broader forms of assessment that include qualitative indicators and the influence of research on policy and practice (DORA, 2012). In its current formulation, DORA also defines its mission as advancing practical approaches to assessment and facilitating assessment policies and practices (DORA, s. f.-a).

The initiative seeks to achieve these objectives through a twofold mechanism. First, the 2012 declaration establishes a framework of recommendations for replacing the use of journal-based metrics with criteria focused on the quality of the work itself and on a more diverse range of research outputs. Second, the 2023–2026 strategic plan strengthens DORA’s operational dimension by prioritising awareness of the negative effects of inappropriate metrics, the development of concrete reform measures, support for those driving these changes and the securing of resources to sustain its mission. Implementation is therefore articulated through practical guidance, the dissemination of resources and support for research assessment reform processes (DORA, 2012; DORA, 2023).