[Taxacom] Quality vs. quantity in science

[Ingo Michalak]

Hi all,
I am sure, this topic was discussed here before many times, but now (two 
days ago) the DFG, the most important research funding organization in 
Germany, stated in a press release, that from now on there is a maximum 
of five publications to name in the cv section of an application. In the 
reports one is allowed to name only two publications per year for the 
funded project.

They hope this will lead to more focus on the quality of single 
publications, than on high numbers of publications. Since it is further 
stated, that the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes 
of Health (both USA) made comparable changes in application rules one 
could think of a kind of trend.
To me that sounds great, since I think to write a flora of a certain 
region or a revision of a taxon has a higher scientific value than 
dozens of papers (maybe really high ranked ones excluded). But compared 
to the list of dozens of the colleague's publications, the one or two 
floras or revisions one could write won't make the grade. Maybe now or 
in near future this will change...?

Since I am quite new to the "science business" I would like to get some 
feedback to my thoughts. Will it change anything? Is it a good change at 
all?

best regards,

Ingo

PS: This links to the press release (unfortunately only in German, 
google translate might help?):
http://tinyurl.com/yefxfs4

___________________________________________

Dipl.-Biol. Ingo Michalak

J.W. Goethe-Universität
Institut für Ökologie, Evolution und Diversität
und
Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg
Abt. Botanik und Molekulare Evolutionsforschung

Senckenberganlage 25
60325 Frankfurt am Main

+49 (0)69 97075 1614