Waltman, L (Waltman, Ludo); van Eck, NJ (van Eck, Nees Jan) Some comments on the journal weighted impact factor proposed by Habibzadeh and Yadollahie JOURNAL OF INFORMETRICS, 2 (4): 369-372 OCT 2008

[Eugene Garfield]

E-mail Address: lwaltman at few.eur.nl; nvaneck at few.eur.nl

Author(s): Waltman, L (Waltman, Ludo); van Eck, NJ (van Eck, Nees Jan) 

Title: Some comments on the journal weighted impact factor proposed by 
Habibzadeh and Yadollahie 

Source: JOURNAL OF INFORMETRICS, 2 (4): 369-372 OCT 2008 

Language: English 

Document Type: Article 

Author Keywords: Impact factor; Weighted impact factor; Journal; Citation 

Abstract: In a recent paper in the Journal of Informetrics, Habibzadeh and 
Yadollahie [Habibzadeh, F., & Yadollahie, M. (2008). Journal weighted 
impact factor: A proposal. Journal of Informetrics, 2(2), 164 - 172] 
propose a journal weighted impact factor (WIF). Unlike the ordinary impact 
factor, the WIF of a journal takes into account the prestige or the 
influence of citing journals. In this communication, we show that the way 
in which Habibzadeh and Yadollahie calculate the WIF of a journal has some 
serious problems. Due to these problems, a ranking of journals based on 
WIF can be misleading. We also indicate how the problems can be solved by 
changing the way in which the WIF of a journal is calculated. (C) 2008 
Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 

Addresses: [Waltman, Ludo; van Eck, Nees Jan] Erasmus Univ, Erasmus Sch 
Econ, Inst Econometr, NL-3000 DR Rotterdam, Netherlands 

Reprint Address: Waltman, L, Erasmus Univ, Erasmus Sch Econ, Inst 
Econometr, POB 1738, NL-3000 DR Rotterdam, Netherlands. 

E-mail Address: lwaltman at few.eur.nl; nvaneck at few.eur.nl 

Cited Reference Count: 1 

Times Cited: 0 

Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV 

Publisher Address: PO BOX 211, 1000 AE AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS 

ISSN: 1751-1577 

DOI: 10.1016/j.joi.2008.06.003 

29-char Source Abbrev.: J INFORMETR 

ISO Source Abbrev.: J. Informetr. 

Source Item Page Count: 4 

Subject Category: Information Science & Library Science 

ISI Document Delivery No.: 372LS 

PINSKI G
CITATION INFLUENCE FOR JOURNAL AGGREGATES OF SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS - 
THEORY, WITH APPLICATION TO LITERATURE OF PHYSICS 
INFORMATION PROCESSING & MANAGEMENT 12 : 297 1976