ABS: Huth, Authors, editors, policy makers, and the impact factor

[Gretchen Whitney]

E-mail: E.J. Huth : ejhuth at aol.com

TITLE           Authors, editors, policy makers, and the impact factor
                (full text available at :
http://www.vms.hr/cmj/2001/4201/04.pdf)
AUTHOR  Huth EJ
JOURNAL CROATIAN MEDICAL JOURNAL
                                 42 (1): 14-17 FEB 2001

 Document type: Editorial Material       Language: English      Cited
References: 5       Times Cited: 0


Abstract:
Some aspects of the "impact factor", a quantitative measure of journals'
influence on journals in scientific fields, was discussed in the preceding
issue of the Croatian Medical Journal by Dr Eugene Garfield, one of its
devisers. This factor can be of interest to authors, journal editors, and
policy makers, but they should keep in mind the complexity of the
determinants of impact factors while using them in coming to their
particular
kinds of decisions. A clearer picture of the influence a journal may have in
its own scientific field rather than among all scientific journals could
come from a variant of the impact factor, "the scope-adjusted impact
factor". The calculation of this variant impact factor is described. A table
presents some sample data horn this calculation and shows how the relative
positions of some major journals shift when they are ranked by this
factor rather than the unadjusted impact factor. The possible value of this
variant factor may merit further testing.

Author Keywords:
bibliometrics, citation analysis, impact factor, journal article, library
science, medical informatics, periodicals, publishing

Addresses:
Huth EJ, 1124 Morris Ave, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 USA

Publisher:
PABST SCIENCE PUBLISHERS, LENGERICH

IDS Number:
406YR

ISSN:
0353-9504

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