ART&Comment:Journal quality

[Gretchen Whitney]

TITLE:  Editorial quality, diffusion and bibliometric indicators of the
Revista Espanola de Enfermedades Digestivas

AUTHOR: Lopez-Cozar ED, Ruiz-Perez R, Jimenez-Contreras E

JOURNAL:        REVISTA ESPANOLA DE ENFERMEDADES DIGESTIVAS
                          91: (1) 17-32 JAN 1999

Document type: Article    Language: English     Cited References: 47
Times Cited: 0


Abstract:
AIM: to evaluate the editorial quality, diffusion, relevance of the
scientific content, and the publication practices of the specialised journal
Revista Espanola de Enfermedades Digestivas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We checked 136 parameters based on ISO standards, the
recommendations of scientific and editorial organisations, and studies of
scientific editing and international publishing practices for biomedical
journals. Diffusion was calculated using national and international
databases, specialised libraries in Spain, and Internet sources. The
analysis of the scientific content and publication practices was based on
bibliometric indicators for the journal,
authorship, and contributions. The sample for this study comprised six
alternate issues of volume number 88 (1996), the last issue of this volume,
and the first issue of volume 89 (1997). The samples used for the
bibtiometric analysis varied depending on the characteristics of specific
indicators and the availability of information.

RESULTS: the overall mean value for compliance with standards was 46.1%,
while the real mean was calculated at 72.21%. The editorial procedures at
the journal are similar to those of analogous international journals. The
Revista Espanola de Enfermedades Digestivas is included in international
databases of biomedical journals, and in the interdisciplinary international
database SCI. It was found to be present in 70% of the medical libraries of
Spanish universities, and in 73% of the hospital libraries studied.
Bibliometric indicators showed co-authorship to be 5.5%; the origin of the
authors grouped by province and by type of institutional affiliations showed
27.8% of all authors to be from
Madrid, and that more were affiliated with general hospitals than with
university hospitals. The mean delay between initial receipt of a manuscript
and its publication was 300 days. Cocitation analysis gave the journal a
central position amongst the 38 Spanish biomedical journals considered
representative of the field. The journal's impact factor for 1996 was 0.260.

CONCLUSIONS: the Revista Espanola de Enfermedades Digestivas is a
high-quality vehicle of research results, and has acceptable internal
editorial procedures. The journal is widely distributed, though its
visibility on the Internet should be improved. Co-authorship is similar to
that seen in other medical journals. Steps should be taken to make this
journal better known within Spain, and to reduce the delay between the
initial receipt and the final publication of manuscripts. Its impact
factor is increasing steadily.

Author Keywords:
Revista Espanola de Enfermedades Digestivas, scientific journal evaluation,
editorial quality, diffusion, visibility, bibliometric analysis, standards

KeyWords Plus:
INFORMATIVE ABSTRACTS, STRUCTURED ABSTRACTS, SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS,
MEDICINA-CLINICA, ARTICLES, PUBLICATION, STANDARDS, SCIENCES

Addresses:
Ruiz-Perez R, Univ Granada, Dept Biblioteconomia & Documentac, Campus
Cartuja, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
Univ Granada, Dept Biblioteconomia & Documentac, E-18071 Granada, Spain.

Publisher:
EDITORIAL GARSI, MADRID

-------------------------Comment---------------------------------


This is a very professional analysis from the University of Granada.  It
would be relevant for every journal editor and publisher to apply this
methodology to their journals.
REED= Spanish Journal of Digestive Disorders.  We should be grateful that
this national journal has published the study in English.  Their co-citation
map of Spanish journals is intriguing.  This is an excellent paper for LIS
students to read.  All that is missing is an e-mail / fax address.

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