The Research Mind framework introduces a new way to understand research performance and mentorship quality. While traditional ranking systems like Professor John P. A. Ioannidis’s C-Score from Stanford University help identify top researchers globally, they don’t always reveal whether a researcher focuses on quantity or quality — or what that means for early-career scientists seeking mentorship.
To bridge this gap, The Research Mind introduces two new, complementary metrics:
S-Score (Speed Score): Measures research quantity and productivity by calculating the maximum average number of first-author publications over any three-year period.
Q-Score (Quality Score): Measures research quality and impact using the maximum median citation count for first- or last-author works over a three-year period.
Together, these metrics help new researchers and institutions look beyond global rankings to identify mentors whose research philosophies align with their values and career goals.
Key Features
Balanced Evaluation: Assess both productivity (S-Score) and quality (Q-Score).
Self-Citation Analysis: Identify integrity and citation ethics.
Collaboration Mapping: Visualize research networks and co-author patterns.
Comparative Search: Explore and compare any researcher worldwide using open data from the OpenAlex database.
Why It Matters
Our analysis revealed that some researchers with very high C-Scores also publish at rates (for example, 10 papers per year) that are unrealistic for most mentees to match. Others, who publish fewer but higher-impact papers, may offer stronger mentorship for quality-focused researchers. The Research Mind framework provides the context and clarity needed to make informed decisions about academic collaboration and mentorship.
Explore the App
Experience the Research Mind app and explore how productivity and quality come together in shaping impactful research.
Search, analyze, and compare researchers across disciplines using real-time data.
👉 Access the app here:
About the Project
The Research Mind project was created to promote transparency, fairness, and informed decision-making in research mentorship and evaluation. It is freely available to the global academic community and continually updated with open research data.