Benchmarking our science quality
Professor Sir David Skegg, President of the Royal Society of New Zealand, awarding David Whitehead being a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Image - RSNZ
We now use the Thompson Reuters’ Incites™ database to benchmark the quality of our science publications (output and impact) in our key research areas. Bibliometric analyses provide independent verification that our science is highly regarded. Incites™ also enables more detailed analysis than the previously used SciMAGO reports, and also allows us to track trends in our publication metrics more easily. Data below is from the ‘Global Comparisons’ sectionof the Incites database.
From 1992–2012, Incites™ has indexed 3346 publications with Landcare Research staff as lead- or co-authors, which have been cited over 64 570 times; an average citation rate of 19.3 for the 20-year period.
From 2005 – 2012 Incites™ indexed a total of 1559 publications with Landcare Research staff as lead- or co-authors. These publications have been cited over 18 000 times, 13% more than for the global “average” paper.
From 2005 to 2012 Landcare Research produced 14% of all science journal publications from CRIs and New Zealand universities in the environment/ecology subject area. We also published 24% and 15% respectively of New Zealand’s soil science and biodiversity conservation publications. The impact of Landcare Research’s publications, measured by average citations per document was higher than for any other CRI or New Zealand university in all three research areas (see below). Our biodiversity /conservation publications received over twice as many citations as the global 'average' paper in this research area.
Key Performance Indicators
- MBIE’s external Stakeholder Survey showed 85% of respondents for Landcare Research have confidence that we have the ability to put together the most appropriate research teams (91% in 2012)
| For the year ended 30 June: | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| Data include our Research Associates but exclude staff in any collaborating or subcontracted organisation | ||||
| Collaboration | ||||
| Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 111 |
| Science excellence | ||||
| Professional recognition and awards for staff | 24 | 21 | 15 | 152 |
| Keynote or plenary addresses (costs fully or partly covered) | 9 | 11 | 8 | 11 |
| Number of editorial positions | 106 | 96 | 82 | 853 |
| Number of positions in professional societies | 55 | 59 | 56 | 544 |
| Number of roles on advisory panels and groups | 127 | 133 | 143 | 1425 |
| Number of directorships | 24 | 17 | 17 | 146 |
| Number of peer-reviewed scientific papers | 271 | 243 | 241 | 2747 |
| % of papers in top 25 journals relevant to the scope of our research | NA | NA | 30% | 31.6%7 |
| Average number of citations over a rolling 8-year period | NA | NA | 10.8 | 11.2 |
1 MoUs include 3 signed with New Zealand organisations and 8 overseas
2 15 awards (excluding travel grants) made to 14 staff. In addition Landcare Research was recognised in the Sustainable 60 Awards
3 40 staff hold 85 positions on the editorial boards of scientific journals; 71 of these are international and include the mega journal Zootaxa, founded by one of our staff
4 36 staff hold 54 positions in professional societies (including 10 Fellows); 19 of these positions are international
5 60 staff hold 142 positions on advisory boards, technical groups and review panels; 41 of these are international
6 11 staff hold 14 directorships or board memberships; 4 of these are international
7 Web of Science metrics at July 2013. Numbers may be lower than actual due to delays inherent in the process of indexing and abstracting by Web of Science.
Joint peer-reviewed publications (Web of Science)
Web of Science has fewer publications for Landcare Research than what is recorded by our own library. While there may be up to a 6-month delay in Web of Science indexing New Zealand journals, the trend to early online publication has considerably reduced this time lag. We take publication to be when the paper first becomes available.
| For year ended 30 June | 2011/12 | 2012/13 |
| With other New Zealand organisations | 39 (27%) | 76 (39%) |
| With overseas organisations | 105 (73%) | 118 (61%) |
| Total | 1441 | 1942 |
1 Does not include 30 publications with only Landcare Research authors
2 Does not include 37 publications with only Landcare Research authors
