Quality Over Quantity

Nature News reports that Germany’s primary research funding agency, the DFG, aims to restrict the number of papers that researchers can list in their grant applications. Beginning in July, an applicant will only be able to include two publications closely related to their proposed project and up to five additional papers that illustrate their career. Additionally, the agency will not consider papers submitted to journals that have not yet been accepted for publication. Nature reports that the DFG hopes “that the new rules will help ease the burden on reviewers faced with vast publication lists, and counter the pressure on scientists to publish as many papers as possible in order to win funding or academic appointments.” The DFG will be the first research funding agency in Europe to cap citations.