While the precise number of academic journals being published worldwide is uncertain, the number of scholarly journals is increasing at a rate of 2-3 percent annually. The scale is impressive:
- Scopus: 25,648 active journals (2021 STM Global Brief)
- Web of Science: 24,974 active journals (October 2020-2021)
- Ulrich’s Web: Over 48,000 active peer-reviewed journals (September 2021) [1]
Given these large numbers, finding the most suitable journal for your research can be a challenging task. This is why the impact factor of a journal becomes essential.
Understanding Impact Factor
The impact factor is a widely used metric for ranking journals by evaluating the quality and influence of academic and scientific journals within a specific field. Journals with higher impact factors are typically perceived as having greater influence, attracting more submissions, and receiving more citations. That is why most researchers choose to submit their work to high-impact factor journals.
Why Impact Factor Matters?
Being published in a high-impact factor journal typically lends greater credibility and offers researchers potential benefits, such as:
- Better employment opportunities
- Tenure advancement
- Promotion prospects
- Increased funding opportunities
Researchers seeking to determine a journal’s impact factor can consult the Web of Science Journal Citation Reports, published annually by Clarivate Analytics.
How Impact Factor is Calculated
So, how does one calculate the impact factor of a journal? It is the ratio obtained by dividing the number of citations received in one year by the number of papers published in the two previous years. Most journals perform this calculation annually to determine the average number of citations per article.
High impact factor benefits:
- Articles are frequently cited by other researchers
- Implies greater influence and potential for knowledge dissemination
- Attracts high-quality submissions
- Creates a virtuous cycle of increased visibility and further citations
Low impact factor challenges:
- May lack the visibility of high-impact journals
- Struggle to attract submissions
- Face difficulty gaining recognition within the academic and research community
However, while the impact factor of a journal may provide a valuable measure of its quality and reach, it should not be the sole parameter on which to base publishing decisions.
The Limitations of Impact Factor
Quality vs. Quantity Concerns
Critics within academia note several important limitations:
Field-specific considerations:
- Some journals with low impact factors may still publish significant work
- Low impact factors could be attributed to addressing smaller, specialized fields
- These journals may not receive as many citations due to their niche focus
- Comparing impact factors across different disciplines may not accurately reflect the relative influence of journals within each field
Aggregation issues:
- Impact factor is not based solely on the quality or impact of individual articles
- It aggregates citations at the journal level
- Typically prioritizes frequently cited articles
- Often neglects necessary but less regularly cited research in the process
Beyond Impact Factor: A Holistic Approach
Given these aspects, experts believe that it is crucial to consider additional metrics when evaluating a journal’s credibility and reach:
Journal evaluation criteria:
- Relevance of the research subject to the journal
- Journal’s editorial standards
- Copyright policies
- Article processing charges
- Peer review process quality
- Target readership
Alternative Metrics
Since the impact factor is not a reliable enough benchmark to assess a journal’s credibility, experts suggest using alternative metrics:
The Eigenfactor:
- Evaluates the frequency of citations over a five-year period
- Assesses an article’s influence on existing research
The h-index:
- Measures an author’s productivity
- Compares the number of published papers with the number of citations received
Making Informed Journal Selection Decisions
Clearly, researchers must avoid relying only on the impact factor when deciding which journal to submit their manuscript to. It is crucial to recognize the limitations of relying solely on impact factors and to consider:
- Discipline-specific differences
- Citation patterns
- Readership alignment
- Research relevance
- Alternative metrics
Researchers can make better-informed decisions about the credibility, reach, and relevance of a journal by adopting a more nuanced approach to journal selection.
References
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