Fassoulaki A., Papilas K., Paraskeva A, Patris K "Impact factor bias and proposed adjustments for its determination" ACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA 46 (7): 902-905 AUG 2002

[Eugene Garfield]

A. Fassoulaki : afassoul at otenet.gr


TITLE Impact factor bias and proposed adjustments for its determination
AUTHOR  Fassoulaki A., Papilas K., Paraskeva A, Patris K
JOURNAL ACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA 46 (7): 902-905 AUG 2002

 Document type: Article  Language: English
 Cited References: 9     Times Cited: 0


Abstract:
Background: The impact factor (IF), a qualitative parameter used to
evaluate scientific journals, has several flaws. The aim of the study
was to evaluate two of its important constraints, journal self-citation
and scientific field, and to investigate the potential for improvement.

Methods: We studied the five or six highest impact journals from each of
seven medical fields: anesthesiology, dermatology, genetics and heredity,
immunology,
general and internal medicine, ophthalmology and surgery. To correct for
journal self-citation, we divided the number of 1998 citations of papers
published in 1996 and 1997, minus the self-citations, by the number of
papers published in the same period. For inter-field normalization we
divided the IF by the mean of the IFs of the upper quartile for the same
category of medical field (IF/f(cat) ).

Results: For the 36 journals, there was a negative correlation between IF
and self-cited and self-citing rates (r (s) = -0.765, P < 0.001 and r (s) =
-0.479, P <
0.003, respectively). Self-cited rate is the ratio of a journal's
self-citations to the number of times it is cited by all journals
including itself. Self-citing rate relates a journal's self-citations
to the total references it makes. The IF/f(cat) for the 36 journals are
positively correlated with their conventional IF (r (s) = 0.91, P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Correcting the IF of the 36 journals for self-citation did
not significantly change journal rankings. The adjusted IF/f(cat) to
normalize for the scientific field was positively correlated with the
conventional IF.

Author Keywords:
correction factors, impact factor, medical journals, scientific field

KeyWords Plus:
ANESTHESIA-JOURNALS

Addresses:
Fassoulaki A, 57-59 Raftopoulou St, Athens 11744, Greece
Univ Athens, Sch Med, Aretaie Hosp, Dept Anesthesiol, GR-11527 Athens,
Greece
St Savas Hosp, Dept Anesthesiol, Athens, Greece

Publisher:
BLACKWELL MUNKSGAARD, COPENHAGEN

IDS Number:
576UR

ISSN:
0001-5172


 Cited Author            Cited Work              Volume      Page   Year

 *I SCI INF            SCI CIT IND J CIT RE                          1998
 FASSOULAKI A          BRIT J ANAESTH              84       266      2000
 FASSOULAKI A          CAN J ANAESTH               48       953      2001
 GARFIELD E            BRIT MED J                 313       411      1996
 GISVOLD SE            ACTA ANAESTH SCAND          43       971      1999
 GISVOLD SE            ACTA ANAESTH SCAND            39         1    1995
 SEGLEN PO             BRIT MED J                   314       497    1997
 SMITH G               BRIT J ANAESTH                76       753    1996
 SMITH R               BRIT MED J                   314       461    1997


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_______________________________________________________________________
Eugene Garfield, PhD.  email: garfield at codex.cis.upenn.edu
home page: www.eugenegarfield.org
Tel: 215-243-2205 Fax 215-387-1266
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(ASIS&T)  www.asis.org
_______________________________________________________________________