Designing and Validating  a Researcherâ€™s Competency Assessment Tool for Iranian Researchers

Tahereh Feizy; Afsane Omidimorad; Masoud Gramipour; Roksana Mirkazemi

Tahereh Feizy Payame Noor University
Afsane Omidimorad Hooman Research Collaborators Institute
Masoud Gramipour Kharazmi University
Roksana Mirkazemi Hooman Research Collaborators Institute Iran

Abstract

Competencies evaluation has been considered as a powerful management tool in defining acceptable level of performance. There is scarcity of literature on attributes and competencies of researchers. Yet, no formal or validated standard assessment tool for researchersâ€™ competencies in Iran is generated. This study was conducted in order to design a test for assessment of researchersâ€™ competencies based on Vitae Researcher Development Framework and to validate it for Iranian researchers. To select the sample size, Iran was divided into eights regions and questionnaires were distributed among researchers in each region. The data was collected during January to June 2014. Data collection tool included Vitae Researcher Development Framework. The validity of translated questionnaire was assessed by using the opinion of 24 experts. The reliability of questionnaire was measured by using Cronbachâ€™s Ã¡ and Guttmanâ€™s Lambda 2. Also, composite reliability test and classification reliability tests were performed to measure the reliability of questionnaire and its sub scales. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) were applied to investigate validity and reliability by the use of AMOS software. The results of CFA showed that to validate this tool for Iranian researchers14 descriptors and two domains should be deleted from the questionnaire. Also, the result of CFA showed that questionnaire should be divided into two questionnaires, which one of them measures the professional competencies of researchers and the other measures the general competencies related to personal effectiveness, research organization and governance, and communication, influence and impact. Considering these changes, the model was fitted for the two questionnaires. The level of reliability was at a desired level for both questionnaires. The mean score of Iranian researchers on the domains and sub-domains of the questionnaire showed that the overall scores were very poor and less than 50% of the total score.

References

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