Hi all,
This week, my ResearchGate score dropped from 238 to 232 (a big drop of 6 points) - even though I have been no less active than I have ever been - and my score usually increases by a point or so each time it is updated.
I've no idea why - although I do know that ResearchGate is famous for it's own unique 'nuances' where things change without any pre-information or warning. Therefore, I am wondering if this, or any other change, has occurred recently on your site that doesn't 'seem right'.
To see how the RG Score is calculated, refer to:
https://explore.researchgate.net/display/support/RG+Score
The site explains, among others:
Why has my RG Score decreased or not changed?
The RG Score is calculated once a week, so if you've added publications and your score has not yet changed, please be patient. It's also relative, it can go up or down depending on the activity and scores of other ResearchGate members. This means it takes the scores and interactions of every researcher into account to give a relative rating of your contributions.
p.s. I am sure that the difference between the two RG scores is not statistically significant.
Hi Michael - thanks for the response. It still doesn't explain my drop though. This week - it's gone up 3 points - and my activity (and my reads, recommendations etc) is the same as it was the previous 2 weeks when it dropped 5 points each week. I contacted RG - and heard back from one of their representatives. I received a 'standard' response - and have asked the=m since to individually investigate my case - and waiting to hear back from them.
According to the RG website, your score can change "depending on the activity and scores of other ResearchGate members", so your RG score does not depend only on your activity.
You heard back from an RG representative?
Impressive.
Yip - I understand that Michael. It still doesn't explain it. Unless a whole heap of high impact scholars on RG voted me down collectively for something (which I doubt) - then I assume a glitch in the system. Of course, a main criticism of RG is that its scoring system is not transparent and can come across as 'random'. One could argue that I've been on it for six years without much randomness - so it's my turn now!!
I have been on RG for a much shorter period than you, so my observations are based on one year only (my Q&A started around 2 weeks ago).
RG provides a useful forum for discussion among colleagues across different disciplines, as compared with internet ranking websites such as RePEc, ISI, Scopus, Publons and SSRN, which seem to be more important in Economics and Finance.
The variations across high RG score academics does not involve "voting you down" but could simply reflect how their RG scores might have changed, for whatever reason, thereby affecting your RG score.
I am certain that the differences in your RG scores are not statistically significant, whereas a difference of that magnitude would be significant for very much lower RG scores.
Hi Michael - true. You bring a more objective eye to it all. Maybe - after six-years - I'm a little too wed to it. Correct - there is nothing significant in it and that's why RG keeps trying to reinvent itself I suppose. The newer 'Research Interest' function may be there to offset these deviations. Still - it would be nice to know or sure rather than guess - but then there might be no need for the Q&A forums. Swings and roundabouts. As long as your score doesn't change radically - I should be alright!!
P.S. Yes - I was surprised to get a 'personal' response to my score query - but I fear that I've used up my ''one hit' all at once. I wish that I had saved it now for a bigger 'meaning of life' question. I'm still not convinced that the answer is 42.
RG score of such figure is high. But, I saw one's RG score of 972. Dean Whitehead
To Dean:
Your RG score has certainly bounced back by a statistically significant amount.
Hi Michael - agreed - but perhaps through 'harder work'. I'm of the impression that one cannot 'take a break' from RG without it affecting ones's score. I was in the UK for a few weeks recently - and my score stayed 'static'. I need another holiday!!
Just noticed - my score has dropped from 279 to 265 (a massive drop of 14) when I have had a very productive week. Go figure!!
To Dean:
You might recall the discussion about statistical significance (9 April 2019).
I am sure it will be up next week.
As I wrote on one of your other threads:
https://www.researchgate.net/post/Annual_Awards_for_ResearchGate_contributors
"According to RG, the RG score depends on the RG scores of all other academic with whom we interact, and is defined at:
https://explore.researchgate.net/display/support/RG+Score
"Our algorithm looks at how your peers receive and evaluate these contributions, and who they are. The higher the RG Scores of those who interact with your research, the more your own score will increase. A low-quality contribution probably won't attract positive feedback and recognition from the community, so it won't contribute to your score in any significant way."
The statement in bold is the key as it refers to not attracting positive feedback (note: 'not positive' = negative).
This is how the RG score can decrease, namely when your activities on Q&A are recommended by academics with RG scores that are lower than yours."
In short, Recommendations work both ways, that is, when you recommend others, and when others recommend you.
This applies to your stock of Q&A, and all of your published and unpublished papers on RG.
Ta Michael. I thought that I was a bright lad - but I'm still confused. So - I pose a question that is popular. People recommend it - and some of my answers - who have a lower RG score than me. I recommend some of those responses. No-one is giving me negative feedback - nor negative feedback - and I am giving them positive feedback. Why does my score go down in that process? All is good and positive - and should be a win-win for all.
P.S Michael. I'm not going to recommend your last response - in case my score plummets to minus something!! ; )
Dear Dean
You have a very high RG score. congratulations. I agree with you RG score changes are sometimes weird. For example, sometimes you have a lot of RG activity in a week, but your score at the end of the week is a little lower, which is weird. The RG Support section describes the changes to the RG score as follows:
The RG Score is calculated once a week, so if you've added publications and your score has not yet changed, please be patient. It's also relative, it can go up or down depending on the activity and scores of other ResearchGate members. This means it takes the scores and interactions of every researcher into account to give a relative rating of your contributions.
To improve your RG Score:
Share anything from negative results to raw data or full-fledged publications
Create a project, or add an update to your existing project(s)
Ask a question or give another researcher a helpful answer
Follow other researchers
Comment on and recommend your peer's research, projects, and questions
Please also make sure that any articles published in journals are correctly linked to the journal they were published in.
Many thanks Behrooz - it's a high for my profession - but I do notice some people with 'super-high' scores. I wonder if they have learnt to manipulate the process, or they are 'fake news' - or they are completely wedded to RG?
Michael - apologies. I've previously been accused of recklessness - but can't see where that accusation would come from. I recommended you anyway. Impulsiveness - where angels fear to tread etc!!
Dean Whitehead My overall ResearcheGate score droped suddenly, for no apparent reason.(drop of 2,96 points). Last week I had:
RG Interest +8,4
Reccommendations +67
Reads +66
Dear Dean
In my opinion there is no easy way to calculate the RG score. Apparently this score is calculated based on a complex algorithm and based on several factors each week. Factors such as: number of citations, number of readings, number of recommendations, number of questions, number of answers, number of recommendations and research interest during a week.
I think not only the number of these factors is important in the RG score but also the quality factor in them. For example, in addition to the number of recommendations for your articles, the RG score of the people who recommended your articles is also important. The higher the RG score the recommender, the more impact it will have on your RG score.
The RG score does not depend directly on Citations.
Please check the definition at:
https://explore.researchgate.net/display/support/RG+Score
Hi Behrooz - I fully agree. No easy way to reckon - but I live in hope!! The likes of Michael try to make it easier for us simple folk!!
Hi Dean
Like you, I always hope. Thanks to Michael too. He has simplified the way for us.
Congratulations on the high score. Yes, some weeks I notice a drop in the score for no reason.
Unexpectedly, My new RG score dropped from11.82 to 11.61 in 13 Oct 2019
research interest +2.9
recomendations: 46
reads: 576
citations: 0
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