We live in an age of knowledge: there are 8 million researchers worldwide, who publish over 3 million scholarly articles per year, a number that is still growing rapidly year-on-year. While we see many incredible innovations as a result, there are unsolved questions about the practice of doing research: How can we ensure new information is implemented in policies to benefit all? How can researchers most effectively make sense of this deluge of information? What will the future of peer review look like? 

A new home for all research on research

To answer these questions, an understanding of what drives research excellence and how we can effectively communicate and evaluate research outcomes is fundamental. Today, Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics is expanding. Led by Chief Editor Professor Chaomei Chen (Professor of Information Science at Drexel University), the journal launches four new specialties to provide a home for all research on research: 

• Research Assessment (led by Prof. Zaida Chinchilla-Rodríguez, CSIC)

• Scholarly Communication (led by Prof. Dietmar Wolfram, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee)

• Research Policy and Strategic Management (led by Prof. Caroline Wagner, Ohio State University)

• Text-mining and Literature-based Discovery (led by Prof. Karin Verspoor, University of Melbourne; and Prof. Min Song, Yonsei University)

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Faster progress through sound research practices

Professor Chen became interested in research metrics and analytics in the 1990s, when publishing a meta-analysis of experimental studies. His curiosity was sustained further in conversation with inspiring colleagues during conference presentations. Since then, he has become a central figure in the field. Professor Chen: “It is very enlightening to think of the structure and dynamics of research at a systemic level.” 

Professor Chen elaborates on his vision for the journal: “A major challenge today is how we should develop effective and efficient instruments that can help a variety of stakeholders to better understand research. More importantly, the study of research should stimulate and strengthen researchers to make discoveries and innovations.”

Impacting research across fields

The Chief Editors are supported by an editorial board of international experts. Professor Chen: “The disciplinary diversity and the global presence are the strengths of our community. The diversity in scientific disciplines and cultural backgrounds is a real asset, because our mission is to support an open and stimulating forum for research. Since the study of research is closely connected to researchers across disciplinary borders, we have the potential to attract insightful contributions from virtually all disciplines. We can collectively make an impact on research across many fields.”  

Frontiers journals also consistently rank among the world’s most-cited in their fields and in the top Impact Factor and CiteScore percentiles.