Update 14 August 2026
The SCOPE Framework was developed by the INORMS Research Evaluation Group (REG) as a practical tool for planning, conducting and reviewing research evaluations. Recognising that many organisations support the principles of responsible research assessment but struggle with implementation, SCOPE provides a structured five-stage process to help ensure that evaluations are aligned with their purpose, stakeholders and intended use.
The SCOPE Framework is now maintained and developed through the Research Evaluation Global Alliance (REGA), which builds on REG’s work to promote responsible and effective approaches to research assessment and governance. To learn more about how SCOPE has been developed and applied across multiple evaluation and research contexts, and how you can get involved, please visit: https://re-ga.org
SCOPE Framework for Research Evaluation
The SCOPE framework for research evaluation is a five-stage model for evaluating responsibly. It is a practical step-by-step process designed to help research managers, or anyone involved in conducting research evaluations, in planning new evaluations as well as check existing evaluations. SCOPE is an acronym, where S stands for START with what you value, C for CONTEXT considerations, O for OPTIONS for evaluating, P for PROBE deeply, and E for EVALUATE your evaluation.
Principles of SCOPE
SCOPE in Depth
Written guidance
- SCOPE Full Guide – DOI: https://doi.org/10.26188/21919527.v1
- SCOPE One-Page Overview
- SCOPE One-Page overview in languages other than English. (Translations: Chinese, Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Brazilian Portuguese)
- SCOPE Poster
Videos
- A five-minute video introducing the SCOPE process.
- A webinar on the SCOPE process for research managers was held on Monday 20 April 2020. To watch the recording, click here.
In the Press
- Hogan, Sophie. 2025. Assessment reform advocate seeks shift from metrics ‘overuse’ Research Professional (20 February 2025). https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-universities-2025-2-assessment-reform-advocate-seeks-shift-from-metrics-overuse/ [Discusses the use of SCOPE as a value-led alternative to metrics overuse].
Articles & blog posts
- Himanen, Conte, Gauffriau, Strom, Wolf & Gadd. The SCOPE framework – implementing ideals of responsible research assessment [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]. F1000 Research 2024, 12:1241 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.140810.2)
SCOPE Case Studies
| Study | Link |
|---|---|
| University of Turku (2023) POLICY FOR RESPONSIBLE ASSESSMENT OF RESEARCH AND RESEARCHERS based on SCOPE. | https://www.utu.fi/sites/default/files/public%3A//media/file/Policy%20for%
20responsible%20assessment%20of%20research%20and%20researcher.pdf |
| Loughborough University (2023) Statement on responsible research assessment at Loughborough University based around SCOPE. | https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/support/publishing/responsible-research-assessment/ |
| University of Surrey (2023) Use of SCOPE to develop open research indicators. | https://osf.io/v9wm8 |
| Bhattacharjee Suchiradipta, Moumita Koley, Jahnab Bharadwaj (2023). Workshop on Research Assessment Practices in Indian Funding Agencies. Journal of Science Policy & Governance. Vol 22, 1, 2023. | https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369032650_Workshop_ |
| International Science Council (2023) The future of research evaluation: A synthesis of current debates and developments | https://council.science/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ResearchEvaluation_CSF_2023.jpg https://council.science/publications/the-future-of-research-evaluation-a-synthesis-of-current-debates-and-developments/ |
| University of Leeds use of SCOPE to select metrics to track improvements in Research Culture: Interim reflections | https://sway.office.com |
| INORMS SCOPE Workshop Case Study: University of Glasgow: Supporting the careers of others. | https://inorms.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/inorms-scope-workshop-case-study-university-of-glasgow-final.pdf |
| INORMS SCOPE Workshop Case Study: Emerald Publishing: Evaluating the diversity of editorial boards | https://inorms.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/inorms-scope-workshop-case-study-emerald-publishing-final.pdf |
| SCOPE Mini Case Study: Creating awareness about responsible research evaluation: SCOPE used in interviews with Higher Education (HE) leaders in Denmark | https://inorms.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/danish-universities-use-of-scope-in-interviews-with-danish-he-leaders.pdf |
| SCOPE Case Study: Oslo Metropolitan University: Lectures in the master’s course “Scholarly Communication” | https://inorms.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/oslo-metropolitan-university-use-of-scope-in-masters-program.pdf |
| INORMS SCOPE Case Study: The UK Higher Education Funding Bodies: Developing a new national research evaluation system | https://inorms.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/inorms-scope-case-study-uk-he-funding-bodies-final.pdf |
| UK Committee on Research Integrity (UK-CORI) use of SCOPE to develop indicators of research integrity | https://ukcori.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Indicators-of-Research-Integrity-UK-Committee-on-Research-Integrity-report.pdf |
| Newcastle University use of SCOPE to develop a Research Culture Index | https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/news-and-views/e-evaluation-refining-and-aligning-research-culture-measures |
| Use of SCOPE to develop a framework for assessing openness at the University of Reading | https://recognition.ukrn-openresearch.ac.uk/case-study-reading.html |
| League of European Research Universities (2024). Next Generation Metrics for Scientific and Scholarly Research in Europe | https://www.leru.org/files/Publications/Next-Generation-Metrics-for-Scientific-and-Scholarly-Research-in-Europe_Paper.pdf |
| Transforming Research Assessment at CYENS: Towards a Responsible, Inclusive and Impact-Driven Model (TRAC) | https://coara.eu/coara-boost-cascade-funding/cascade-funding-selected-projects-2/ |
| Loughborough University (2025) Evidence-informed Output Narratives | https://recognition.ukrn-openresearch.ac.uk/case-study-loughborough.html |
One of the underpinning messages of SCOPE is not to abandon academic rigor when it comes to management practice. Most institutions have expertise in research evaluation – utilize that expertise! To persuade senior leaders of the benefits of responsible research evaluation, the group has also produced a set of arguments, available in several languages:
Five arguments to persuade HE Leaders to evaluate research responsibly (Translations: Chinese, Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Brazilian Portuguese)
The INORMS Research Evaluation Group can be invited to facilitate a workshop on the SCOPE process, for more information, please contact the chair [e.a.gadd@lboro.ac.uk].
For news coverage of this work, please see our Outputs & Outreach page.
Any feedback you have on this work, including any local implementations of the SCOPE process, can be emailed to any of the INORMS Research Evaluation Group members.