THE EVALUATION OF SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION: SEARCH FOR ORIGINALITY OR SIMPLE COPYING

The implementation of science and study reform in Lithuania reasonably rouses up some doubts. It would be incorrect to claim that the reform itself is unnecessary. Otherwise, any hasty and badly prepared reforms do not give expected results. One of the most important science evaluation spheres is scientific publications. During the whole period after 1990s more or less coherent and clear system was not settled in Lithuania. In the summer of 2009 Lithuanian higher educational institutions received the new methodic of evaluation scientific pro-duction. To be precisely, the new methodic was confirmed with the order 1321 in June 29, 2009 by the Minister of Education and Science of Lithuania. The new methodic rouses anxiety because it is not coherent and clear enough, especially speaking about social and humanitarian sciences. Firstly, it is closely connected with the publication of works of that sphere. As it is said, the majority of works of such sphere are published in the local market and do not gain access to a wider round of users. Another thing is that such publications are mainly in Lithuanian. Yes, that is also important developing science of Lithuania, especially humanitarian sciences. But here is a very simple rule in force – science is not national, it is and must be international. In the above mentioned methodic scientific works are separated into the first and second levels. According to the methodic, those experimental and scientific research works of the highest level, which are recognized by the institutions themselves and which are evaluated in quality approach by the experts of the Research Council of Lithuania, are attributed to the scientific works of the first level. Uniting of social and humanitarian sciences into one block rouses up some doubts, which means that the same regulations of methodic will be applied for the both spheres. The question is how to compare, let us say, the works of economics and linguistics according to the same methodic? However displeasing the evaluation of scientific production is, it is unavoidable and necessary. The state assigning though poor financial supplies for science, must know, if those supplies are used rationally. On the other hand, acknowledged standards (international standards) of evaluation, expertise, indexation, abstracting, usage and etc. exist internationally. It is natural, that every country has its peculiarities, which not necessarily directly refer to inter-national practice. However, Lithuanian science aspires to integrate into the space of international science. In order to do that, national practice of evaluation scientific works will have to be reasonably harmonized with the international one.