Reflective evaluation – self-driven criteria creation

Allow the person/group being evaluated to set criteria for their own evaluation, and give a self-reflection on their progress towards those criteria. This can be used in both reporting/progress evaluation as well as in pre-decision evaluation.
Level 0
Aim: Value process
Aim: Alternative questions
Aim: Recognition
Aim: Diversity
Target: Academic Institution
Target: Research Group
Target: Individual scholar
CoARA Commitment 1
CoARA Commitment 6
Contributor

Experiments in Assessment WG

Publication date

April 9, 2026

Updated

April 20, 2026

WarningObjectives and potential outcome

Research domains

This idea is especially relevant for career progression assessment, although it could be implemented to a broad diversity of assessment where individuals or groups are central to the assessment process.

Context and considerations

This idea reflects one of the core element of the SCOPE Framework (see related idea).

Challenges and mitigations

Challenge: Possibility of bias of the evaluation criteria selected by applicants to favour a positive assessment (i.e., based on current strengths rather than on real values).
Mitigation: Building an in-depth criteria setting activity that looks at values could help support more deliberate and value-based assessment (see associated idea). For shared assessment criteria, involving multiple individuals in deciding assessment processes and criteria can also help circumvent this challenge as it would allow individuals to come to a shared agreement on what the value and what is important to them. Nevertheless, allowing for a plurality of assessment can also have advantages in promoting diversity and meaningfulness.
Mitigation: Another mitigation may be to get individuals to set assessment criteria as goals, pushing and motivating them towards future skills, achievements, and performances that are valuable to them. The idea on9forward-looking assessment](../forward-looking-assessment/index.qmd) contains more details on this, including examples from some organisations who already undertake these self-defined goals in their promotion processes.

Evaluating success

Relevant resources and literature

This section includes resources, literature, and reports relevant to this specific experimental idea.

Templates from funders and institutions

Case examples and literature

Other resources

Case Studies or Implementation Examples