# Rethinking the Evaluation Protocol of Domain Generalization

Source: [Rethinking the Evaluation Protocol of Domain Generalization](<https://www.sota2.com/research/paper/68fa72a21e209131cea57b11>)

Collection index: [llms.txt](<https://www.sota2.com/research/llms.txt>)

Data updated: 2025-10-27T06:32:05.519Z

Authors: Han Yu, Xingxuan Zhang, Renzhe Xu, Jiashuo Liu, Yue He, Peng Cui

Published: 2023-05-24T15:36:46.000Z

## Abstract

Domain generalization aims to solve the challenge of Out-of-Distribution (OOD) generalization by leveraging common knowledge learned from multiple training domains to generalize to unseen test domains. To accurately evaluate the OOD generalization ability, it is required that test data information is unavailable. However, the current domain generalization protocol may still have potential test data information leakage. This paper examines the risks of test data information leakage from two aspects of the current evaluation protocol: supervised pretraining on ImageNet and oracle model selection. We propose modifications to the current protocol that we should employ self-supervised pretraining or train from scratch instead of employing the current supervised pretraining, and we should use multiple test domains. These would result in a more precise evaluation of OOD generalization ability. We also rerun the algorithms with the modified protocol and introduce new leaderboards to encourage future research in domain generalization with a fairer comparison.

## Recorded benchmark results

A research result applies to its stated dataset, split, metric and evaluation configuration. Compare like-for-like settings, preserve the metric's unit and direction, and distinguish paper-reported results from independent reproduction. The best result recorded here is not a claim of exhaustive, current global coverage.

## Original sources and implementation

[Original paper](<https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.15253>)

[PDF](<https://arxiv.org/pdf/2305.15253.pdf>)