Rezaei-Ghaleh, N; Azizi, F The impact factor-based quality assessment of biomedical research institutes in Iran: Effect of impact factor normalization by subject ARCHIVES OF IRANIAN MEDICINE, 10 (2): 182-189 APR 2007

[Eugene Garfield]

E-mail Address: azizi at erc.ac.ir 

Author(s): Rezaei-Ghaleh, N (Rezaei-Ghaleh, Nasrollah); Azizi, F (Azizi, 
Fereidoun) 

Title: The impact factor-based quality assessment of biomedical research 
institutes in Iran: Effect of impact factor normalization by subject 

Source: ARCHIVES OF IRANIAN MEDICINE, 10 (2): 182-189 APR 2007 

Language: English 

Document Type: Article 

Author Keywords: biomedical research; Iranian universities; journal impact 
factor; quality assessment; subject normalization 

Keywords Plus: JOURNAL-CITATION-REPORTS; SCIENCE; TOOL; PERFORMANCE; 
FIELDS 

Abstract: Background: The journal impact factor is increasingly employed 
to evaluate the quality of scientific research. This is in contrary to its 
critical limitations, e.g., its marked variation across scientific 
disciplines. This study was conducted to describe, in both quantitative 
and qualitative terms, the contribution of Iranian universities and 
research institutes to biomedical publications in 2004 and to examine the 
possible effect of impact factor normalization by subject on their 
rankings.

Methods: The Iranian biomedical articles were recruited from Thomson 
Science Citation Index Expanded and PubMed databases according to Thomson 
Scientific subject categorization of journals. Three subject-normalized 
impact factors were employed: rank-normalized impact factor, journal to 
field impact score, and standardized impact factor.
Results: Tehran and Shiraz Universities of Medical Sciences and University 
of Tehran were the top three institutes regarding the sum of impact factor 
in 2004. On the basis of the mean crude impact factor, Sharif University 
of Technology, University of Shiraz, and Baqiyatollah University were 
ranked as the first to third. However, the subject normalization of impact 
factor made some considerable changes in impact factor-based rankings of 
research institutes.

Conclusion: The Iranian scientific community and science development 
policy makers are recommended to employ subject-normalized impact factor, 
rather than crude impact factor, in quality assessment of biomedical 
research held in various academic and research institutes. 
Addresses: Shaheed Beheshti Univ Med Sci, Endocrine Res Ctr, Tehran, Iran 
Reprint Address: Azizi, F, Shaheed Beheshti Univ Med Sci, Endocrine Res 
Ctr, POB 19395-4763, Tehran, Iran. 

Cited Reference Count: 27 

Times Cited: 0 

Publisher: ACAD MEDICAL SCIENCES I R IRAN 

Publisher Address: PO BOX 19395-5655, TEHRAN, 00000, IRAN 

ISSN: 1029-2977 

29-char Source Abbrev.: ARCH IRAN MED 

ISO Source Abbrev.: Arch. Iran. Med. 

Source Item Page Count: 8 

ISI Document Delivery No.: 277ZE 

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