Addressing Bias in Research Assessment

Tools

Govender, Navan and Lewis, Kenton and Margerison, Ceri and Newton, Tim (2025) Addressing Bias in Research Assessment. Guide or manual. King's College London, London. (https://doi.org/10.18742/pub01-223)

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Abstract

These resources are primarily designed to support Kings College London (KCL) staff who are involved in REF 2029 processes, particularly those involved in the evaluation of research outputs through reading groups. It includes a series of short explanations, prompts, and activities that can be used in reading group briefings to: 1. support the development of a shared understanding of, and language for, discussing the role of bias in REF processes; and 2. support reading groups in establishing routines and (in)formal mechanisms for naming, discussing, and addressing problematic forms of bias as they might emerge throughout ongoing REF processes. Unit of Assessment (UoA) leads are encouraged to make this resource available to staff who are research output reviewers as well as draw on the resources (including activities and discussion points) to facilitate embedded professional development and problem-solving. These resources promote an understanding of bias as a complex set of phenomena that: recognises both the affordances and the limitations of our individual perspectives, expertise, and organisational roles; is not solely negative, and therefore does not only produce negative consequences; can be separated into ‘mitigable’ and ‘unmitigable’ biases for pragmatic reasons; and can serve the development of more rigorous, accurate, transparent, and equitable research assessment, and the production of positive research cultures.

ORCID iDs

Govender, Navan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6764-1169, Lewis, Kenton, Margerison, Ceri and Newton, Tim;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)