… describe a new tool for judging the value and validity of science that attempts to improve lives.
The limitations of dominant research-evaluation approaches are well known1–5. Peer review is by definition an opinion. Ways of measuring citations — both scholarly and social — tell us about the popularity of published research. They don’t speak directly to its rigour, originality or usefulness. Such metrics tell us little or nothing about how to improve science and its stewardship. This is a challenge for researchers the world over.
Learning Research Methods 