Scientific publications as an element of evaluation of scientific output in Poland

Introduction The evaluation of scientific output of people who conduct such research activity can be made according to different criteria and in different dimensions in the Polish legal system. Most importantly, it needs to be indicated that there are distinct evaluation rules for individual research activity conducted for promotion (Ph.D., postdoctoral titles, professorships), for competitions connected with gaining finances for research projects or for assessing institutions employing such people (categorisation and parametrisation of research institutes). In the first case, detailed rules of evaluation made for academic degrees and titles are regulated by the act of 14 March 2003 on academic degrees and academic title and degrees and title in art.1 On the other hand, the evaluation of research institutes is made based on the criteria specified both in the act of 30 April 2010 on the principle of financing science2, as well as in the executive orders to the act.3 Other regulations are binding in evaluation of people who apply for grants for research projects. In majority they are granted through competitions by National Science Centre operating on the basis of the act of 30 April 2010 on the National Science Centre4. Besides evaluation criteria of applications connected with the quality of financed research also scientific achievements of the applicants are included and are assessed through scientific publications.