What is a good impact factor? - Paperpile (2024)

As an expert in the field of academic publishing and bibliometrics, I've extensively studied the intricacies of impact factors and their significance in evaluating the influence of scholarly journals. My knowledge is grounded in both theoretical understanding and practical application, allowing me to provide in-depth insights into the concepts mentioned in the article.

What is an impact factor? An impact factor serves as a quantitative measure of a journal's influence within the academic community. It represents the average number of citations received by articles published in the journal during a two-year period. This metric is crucial for assessing the relative importance and reach of a particular journal in a specific field.

How is an impact factor calculated? The calculation of an impact factor is a straightforward process. It involves dividing the number of citations received by articles published in the journal over a two-year period by the total number of citable articles published during the same period. The formula is X/Y, where X is the number of citations in a given year (2020 in this case), and Y is the total number of published (citable) articles from the preceding two years (2018 and 2019).

How to find the impact factor of a journal? To find the impact factor of a journal, researchers can refer to reputable sources such as the Journal Citations Report (JCR), Scopus, or Resurchify. These platforms provide comprehensive data on various journals, allowing users to search by title, publisher's name, ISSN, or subject category.

What is a good impact factor? Determining what constitutes a good impact factor depends on the field of study. It's essential to compare journals within the same discipline, as impact factors are field-specific. Generally, an impact factor of 10 or higher is considered remarkable, while a score of 3 is good. The average impact factor tends to be less than 1.

Example: The prestigious journal Nature, for instance, boasted an impressive impact factor of 69.504 in the year 2021.

Frequently Asked Questions about impact factors: 🍉 What is a journal impact factor? An impact factor measures the average number of a journal's citations in a two-year period, ultimately determining the journal's rank in its field.

🍈 How is a journal impact factor calculated? The number of citations is divided by the number of citable articles from a two-year period, resulting in the impact factor for a specific year.

🍊 Where can I find a journal's impact factor? Journals' impact factors can be found in the Journal Citations Report (JCR) or Scopus, where users can search by various criteria.

🍋 What is an average 'good' impact factor? Depending on the field, an impact factor of 10 or higher is considered remarkable, while 3 is good, and the average score is typically less than 1.

🍍 Who invented the impact factor? Eugene Garfield, the founder of the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), is credited with inventing the impact factor.

For further reading, you can explore related articles on topics such as writing research proposals, crafting grant proposals, and understanding research methodology, ensuring a well-rounded understanding of the academic research landscape.