The level of authority of scientific journals can be assessed using special scientometric indicators. These metrics allow researchers to objectively compare publications and select the most suitable platforms for publishing their work. Each scientometric database offers its own tools for evaluating journals. In this article, we discuss the key indicators used in the Scopus and Web of Science databases, as well as how they help researchers.
Why are scientific journal metrics needed?
Scientific journal metrics play a key role in assessing the quality and impact of scientific journals. They perform a number of important functions, including:
- assessing the quality and impact of journals;
- selecting a platform for publishing research;
- forming ratings and assigning quartiles;
- determining the level of a journal in its niche;
- comparing journals from different scientific fields;
- tracking the scientific impact of a journal's publications.
Some of the most authoritative databases, in particular Scopus and Web of Science, provide various indicators that allow for objective comparison of journals and tracking of their significance in the scientific community. Below, we will discuss the main ones in more detail.
Scopus metrics
In order to evaluate the level of scientific journals, the Scopus database provides access to several key metrics, including: CiteScore, SJR and SNIP.
1. CiteScore
This is a scientometric indicator that reflects the average number of citations of articles published in a journal over the past four years. CiteScore is calculated as the ratio of the number of citations to the number of published documents.
For example, if a journal has received 400 citations for 100 articles, its CiteScore is 4.0. Thus, CiteScore can be used to determine how often a journal's articles are mentioned in other studies.
2. SJR (Scimago Journal Rank)
One of the main advantages of this metric is that it takes into account not only the number of citations of articles, but also the quality of the journals in which they are mentioned.
SJR is calculated as the ratio of the number of citations received by a journal in a given year to the number of articles published in it over the previous three years. At the same time, citations from journals with a higher level of influence carry more weight than those from less authoritative ones.
In addition, this metric analyses the relationships between journals in the citation system. In other words, SJR pays attention to how actively publications cite each other.
3. SNIP (Source Normalised Impact per Paper)
The purpose of this indicator is to assess the impact of a scientific journal, taking into account the characteristics of citations in different scientific fields. It determines the number of citations per article, taking into account the average citation frequency in a particular discipline, which allows for a fair comparison of journals from different fields of knowledge.
The SNIP calculation is based on dividing the number of citations per article by the average citation rate in the relevant field. The main advantage of this metric is that it minimises the subjectivity of journal evaluation. This means that this indicator takes into account the specifics of different subject areas, which in turn helps to avoid bias towards disciplines with high or low citation rates.
Web of Science metrics
Web of Science also has several metrics designed to evaluate scientific journals. These are Impact Factor, JCI and Eigenfactor Score.
1. Impact Factor (IF)
This is one of the most well-known Web of Science metrics. It is calculated as the average number of citations of articles published in a journal over the past two years (sometimes five or ten years for some disciplines), based on data for the year of calculation.
The Impact Factor is updated annually in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) and is widely used to determine the prestige of a journal. Based on this indicator, scientific journals are assigned a special category – a quartile. To learn more about the types of quartiles and their characteristics, read our article on this topic.
2. Journal Citation Indicator (JCI)
JCI assesses the average citation rate of journal articles, normalised by subject area and publication type. This allows for an objective comparison of journals from different scientific disciplines.
It is calculated based on citations of articles over the past three years, divided by the number of publications, taking into account disciplinary differences. Thus, JCI provides a more fair and accurate assessment of a journal's impact, avoiding distortion of results due to citation characteristics in different fields of science.
3. Eigenfactor Score
Eigenfactor Score is used to assess the overall impact of a scientific journal in the academic community. It takes into account not only the number of citations, but also the significance of the sources of these citations. In other words, mentions of an article in more authoritative journals carry more weight than those in less influential ones. In this context, the metric is very similar to SJR in Scopus.
The Eigenfactor Score is calculated based on data from five years, excluding self-citations. Due to this indicator, scientists can determine which journals are leaders in their field.
Scopus and Web of Science metrics provide scientists with tools for objectively evaluating scientific journals. The metrics we have discussed in this article help researchers select suitable journals for publication and evaluate their contribution to the development of science.
If you have any difficulties with publishing in Scopus or Web of Science, please contact "Scientific Publications". Our specialists will help you choose a scientific journal with high scientometric indicators and will accompany you at all stages of the work. To get a free consultation, fill out the form below, and our manager will contact you shortly. Together to new scientific achievements!
