Journal Citation Reports

Journal Citation Reports
Title	Journal Citation Reports
Developer	Clarivate
Released	0 1975
Genre	Bibliographic database
License	Subscription business model
Website	https://jcr.clarivate.com

Journal Citation Reports. It is an annual publication by Clarivate that provides a systematic, objective means to evaluate the world's leading journals. The report analyzes citation data from the Web of Science Core Collection, offering quantitative tools for ranking, evaluating, and comparing publications. It is widely used by librarians, researchers, publishers, and funding agencies to assess the influence and impact of scholarly literature.

Overview

The data within the report is derived from the vast citation network indexed in the Web of Science, which includes thousands of scholarly publications across numerous disciplines. It covers journals in the Science Citation Index Expanded, the Social Sciences Citation Index, and the Emerging Sources Citation Index. The primary function is to aggregate and analyze the millions of citations published each year, creating a profile for each indexed journal. This analysis supports institutions like the University of Cambridge and National Institutes of Health in making informed decisions about collections and research investments.

Key Metrics

Several metrics are presented for each journal, with the Journal Impact Factor being the most widely recognized. Other important indicators include the Eigenfactor Score, which measures a journal's total influence, and the Article Influence Score, which approximates the average influence of a journal's articles over their first five years. The Immediacy Index gauges how quickly the average article in a journal is cited, while the Cited Half-Life reveals the age of cited articles. Metrics like the Journal Citation Indicator were introduced more recently as part of Clarivate's ongoing refinement of its analytical tools.

Impact Factor

The Journal Impact Factor is calculated annually as the average number of times articles from a journal published in the past two years have been cited in the current JCR year. It was originally conceived by Eugene Garfield, the founder of the Institute for Scientific Information. This metric has become a globally recognized, though controversial, benchmark for journal prestige, often influencing decisions at organizations like the American Chemical Society and in national research evaluations in countries like China and the United Kingdom. Its calculation is based solely on citations recorded in the Web of Science.

Criticisms and Limitations

Critics, including the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment, argue that over-reliance on the Journal Impact Factor for evaluating individual researchers or articles is inappropriate and detrimental to science. Limitations include field-specific citation practices, the influence of review articles, and the potential for editorial manipulation. The coverage is also biased towards English-language journals, potentially underrepresenting research from regions like Latin America or Africa. Debates over these issues are frequent in publications like *Nature* and at conferences of the International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics.

History and Development

The reports were originally created by the Institute for Scientific Information, founded by Eugene Garfield, and were first published in 1975 as part of the Science Citation Index. Clarivate (formerly part of Thomson Reuters) acquired the ISI and has published it annually since. Major developments include the expansion into the Social Sciences Citation Index and the introduction of new metrics like the Eigenfactor. The transition to an online platform and integration with the InCites benchmarking tool marked significant milestones in its evolution as an analytical resource for institutions like Harvard University.

Access and Use

Access is provided through a licensed, web-based platform managed by Clarivate. It is typically subscribed to by major universities, research institutes, and government agencies worldwide, such as the Max Planck Society and the Australian Research Council. Librarians use it for collection management and cancellation decisions, while researchers may consult it when considering where to submit manuscripts. Funding bodies, including the European Research Council, sometimes reference its metrics in grant evaluation processes, though many are adopting more nuanced policies aligned with the Leiden Manifesto.

Category:Bibliographic databases Category:Scientific publishing Category:Clarivate