The plurality and contexts of research quality notions

Whereas research quality is a key concern in research policy, it is often handled as unitary and rarely interrogated. This paper explores variations in what researchers perceive to characterize the research they value the highest and aims to understand the different sites where research quality notions are formed. Based on a large researcher survey, we find both commonalities and differences across disciplines. Notions appear to vary systematically by researcher’s organizational type, their interaction with clients and practitioners, and their reliance on outside infrastructure and multidisciplinary research. For example, those affiliated with research institutes are more prone than those at universities to value societal impact as a characteristic of the best research. In conclusion, quality notions appear to reflect a multitude of organizational sites, and disciplines account for only part of the variation. Hence, a more nuanced understanding of the plurality and origins of research quality notions is needed.