Description of the SCOPE+i Resources with full text links

Description of the SCOPE+ i Resources with links to full text in Zenodo

The resources are focused on operationalizing the transition towards responsible research assessment (RRA). Resources are provided in three formats; templates, guides, and checklists, and they all are based on what has already been published such as recommendations and declarations. The aim of the resources is to support the design and documentation of research assessment events, providing guidance toward operationalizing RRA principles while respecting the flexibility needed to implement in local contexts.

These resources address :

1.     different assessment phases: assessment readiness, assessment protocol, assessment execution, and assessment evaluation & dissemination

2.     with five SCOPE stagesphases: Start with what you value, Context considerations, Options for evaluation, Probe deeply and Evaluate your evaluation

3.     with Assessment infrastructure: Assessment portfolio, Assessment Registry and Openness profile.

Assessment process resources have been created for each assessment phase. In total 17 resources – checklists, guides and templates - support the structured organization of SCOPE process, which addresses initial planning through to the publication of assessment protocols. Resources can be used to support assessment of researchers and different types and sizes of research entities like research groups or organizations. All 17 practical resources are openly published in Zenodo, in the GraspOS Assessment Process Resources community.

Guide for Assembling an Assessment Team

An assessment team is a group of people with complementary expertise who design, manage, and implement research assessment (RA) processes. Teams can include professionals from research services, HR, libraries, IT, or external stakeholders. Their role is to ensure research assessments are fair, transparent, and aligned with responsible research assessment (RRA) principles.

This guide helps identify the types of expertise, roles and tasks required within a research assessment team. It is particularly useful for individuals responsible for designing, managing, or overseeing the assessment process.

Value Statement Template

The Value Statement Template helps organisations identify and articulate the values that underpin their research assessment (RA) criteria. Values define the target of evaluation and guide in the choice of methods, materials and data used, and indicators. A clearly defined value statement is a starting point of a research assessment process.

Purpose and Context Statement Template

The Purpose and Context Statement Template helps organisations define and document the purpose and setting of research assessment (RA). It ensures that evaluation activities are tailored to their intended goals and contexts. By clarifying why assessment is being done, who or what is being assessed, and under which disciplinary, institutional, and cultural conditions, the template supports responsible, transparent, and fit-for-purpose research assessment.

Guide on Choosing an Assessment Method

Guide on choosing an assessment method supports selecting tools, approaches, and infrastructures to evaluate research and researchers in a way that aligns with institutional values and goals. Responsible Research Assessment (RRA) emphasizes transparency, fairness, inclusivity, and recognition of diverse contributions (publications, teaching, leadership, open science, societal impact, etc.).

Stakeholder Mapping Template

This template supports the identification and documentation of stakeholders in research assessment (RA) processes. Stakeholder mapping is critical because effective RA requires a diversity of perspectives, expertise, and experiences. The template prompts you to list stakeholders by category (e.g., researchers, HR, administration, funders, national bodies) and to record their roles and contributions to the process.

Indicators guide 1: Responsible use of indicators

This guide supports responsible research assessment (RRA) with a special focus on open science (OS) contributions. It provides guidance on how to select, interpret, and apply indicators and metrics in a way that balances quantitative measures with qualitative judgment. Its main purpose is to help institutions use indicators transparently, responsibly, and in alignment with their values.

Indicators Guide 2: Frameworks and Toolboxes for Open Research

This resource outlines a process for choosing indicators aimed at assessing Open Research. The process relies on two concepts: an indicator framework and an indicator toolbox. The indicator framework is context-specific decision lens that sets out why, for whom, and under what conditions indicators will be used. Whereas, the indicator toolbox is the curated collection of potential indicators, qualitative and quantitative, organized and documented with the rationale for each selected indicator. The framework and toolbox work together. The indicator framework provides the strategy for selecting and using indicators, while the toolbox supplies and documents the chosen indicators and their application. This guide draws on the European Commission report:  Indicator frameworks for fostering open knowledge practices in science and scholarship (2019).

Open Science Assessment Guide

This guide highlights Open Science (OS) outputs, activities and contributions that are relevant to consider in all types of OS aware research assessment (RA) processes. Open Science (OS) refers to research practices that make scientific knowledge accessible, transparent, reusable, and inclusive. It covers open access to publications, open and FAIR data, open methodologies and software, open peer review, citizen science, and broader engagement with society. In the context of research assessment, OS means valuing contributions beyond traditional journal articles, recognising data sharing, collaborative practices, teaching, mentoring, leadership, and other activities that support transparent and inclusive research.

Guide on Diversity of Open Science Contributions, Roles and Activities

This guide highlights the diversity of open science (OS) contributions, roles, and activities that should be recognised in research assessment and career evaluation. It emphasises that scholarly contributions extend beyond publications and citations, encompassing data sharing, software, citizen science, mentoring, infrastructure support, and stakeholder engagement. The goal is to support responsible research assessment (RRA) by valuing contributions that make research more transparent, inclusive, equitable, and societally relevant.

Guide on promoting OS contributions in a narrative CV

This guide provides direction for research organisations to adopt narrative CVs that reflect Open Science values, build transparency, and enable fairer, more holistic researcher assessment. A narrative CV is a structured format that allows researchers to present their achievements and contributions in a qualitative, evidence-based way. Unlike traditional lists of publications or grants, narrative CVs describe the researcher’s wider impact on knowledge, people, communities, and society.

Guide on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in Research Assessment

This guide discusses equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) as an ethical foundation of research and research assessment (RA). EDI is about ensuring that research environments are safe, fair, and inclusive for individuals across gender, race, ability, career stage, geography, and culture. Embedding EDI in organizational RA policies reduces bias, strengthens integrity, and fosters innovation by embracing diverse perspectives and career paths.

Checklist for Responsible Assessment

The Responsible Assessment Checklist is a self-evaluation tool designed to help universities and research organisations ensure their assessment practices align with principles of fairness, transparency, diversity, and accountability. It covers the full cycle of academic and research career assessment: from planning and conducting evaluations to reflecting and improving future processes.

Guide for evaluating the assessment process

Evaluating the evaluation is the final stage of the SCOPE Framework, where the effectiveness, fairness, and impact of an assessment are critically reviewed. It ensures that the assessment process itself aligns with principles of responsibility, transparency, inclusivity, and continual improvement.

Guide on principles for responsible research assessment for evaluators and evaluands

Responsible Research Assessment (RRA) is the practice of evaluating researchers and their work in a fair, transparent, and context-sensitive way. It goes beyond narrow metrics (e.g., journal impact factors, h-index) to recognise the diverse contributions researchers make to science and society.  This guide is meant both for funders and employers as well as researchers (as reviewers and as subjects of evaluation). It defines the motivation and principles for RRA by introducing a relevant set of regulations and recommendations.

Assessment Readiness Template

The Assessment Readiness Template helps organisations reflect on their maturity in implementing responsible research assessment (RRA). It supports internal discussions, planning, and monitoring by asking structured questions about commitments, policies, expertise, data, and methods. The aim is to ensure that institutions are prepared to conduct evaluations that are transparent, fair, open, and aligned with e.g. CoARA, ARRA, DORA, the Leiden Manifesto, and the Barcelona Declaration.

Guide for Overcoming common obstacles in implementing RRA

Responsible Research Assessment (RRA) seeks to evaluate research, researchers, and institutions in ways that recognise diverse outputs, practices, and impacts. Instead of relying narrowly on journal metrics or prestige, RRA emphasises qualitative judgment, fairness, openness, and alignment with institutional missions. This guide summarises common barriers faced by universities and research organisations and outlines practical steps to overcome them.

Institutional Assessment Process Checklist

This template is a structured tool to support research assessment processes at institutional level. Based on the Dutch Strategy Evaluation Protocol (SEP) 2021–2027, it helps research units, executive boards, and assessment committees document, coordinate, and follow up on key stages of an assessment. The focus is on evaluating a research unit against its own aims and strategy, while considering broader aspects such as research quality, societal relevance, viability, open science, academic culture, human resources policy, and PhD training.

Reference list GraspOS SCOPE+i Resources

●       Sipola, Tiina, & Koivisto, Elina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Guide for assembling an assessment team. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15525548

●       Sipola, Tiina, & Koivisto, Elina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Value statement template. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15524532

●       Sipola, Tiina, & Koivisto, Elina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Purpose and context statement template. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15525469

●       Sipola, Tiina, & Koivisto, Elina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Guide on choosing an assessment method. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15525721

●       Sipola, Tiina, & Koivisto, Elina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Stakeholder mapping template. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15525686

●       Sipola, Tiina, & Koivisto, Elina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Indicators guide 1: Responsible use of indicators. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15526168

●       Tatum, Clifford (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Indicators Guide 2: Frameworks and toolboxes for open research. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17181862

●       Sipola, Tiina, & Koivisto, Elina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Open Science assessment guide. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15525630

●       Sipola, Tiina, & Koivisto, Elina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Guide on the diversity of OS contributions, roles and activities. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15526089

●       Koivisto, Elina, & Sipola, Tiina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Guide on promoting OS contributions in a narrative CV. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15525987 

●       Sipola, Tiina, & Koivisto, Elina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Guide on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in research assessment. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15526122

●       Koivisto, Elina, & Sipola, Tiina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Checklist for responsible research assessment. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15524455 

●       Koivisto, Elina, & Sipola, Tiina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Guide for evaluating the assessment process. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15526189

●       Koivisto, Elina, & Sipola, Tiina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Guide on principles for responsible research assessment for evaluators and evaluands. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15526025

●       Sipola, Tiina, & Koivisto, Elina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Assessment readiness template. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15525577

●       Koivisto, Elina, & Sipola, Tiina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Guide for overcoming common obstacles in implementing RRA. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15526054

●       Sipola, Tiina, & Koivisto, Elina (2025). GraspOS SCOPE+i Resource: Institutional assessment process checklist. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15526008