[Sigmetrics] Global and average Impact Factors

[Stephen J Bensman]

Isidro,

As usual you have put your figure on key problem  This is being done as I figured it would be done, and it betrays a complete theoretical misunderstanding of the impact factor as developed by Garfield.  Between this and Elsevier's Scopus assault, makes the impact factor an arbitrary mathematical number without any meaning.


Stephen J. Bensman


________________________________
From: SIGMETRICS <sigmetrics-bounces at asist.org> on behalf of Isidro F. Aguillo <isidro.aguillo at cchs.csic.es>
Sent: Monday, October 23, 2017 3:53 AM
To: sigmetrics at mail.asis.org; Scientometrics, Informetrics and Cybermetrics
Subject: [Sigmetrics] Global and average Impact Factors

Dear all,

In spite of the large number of papers (and declarations) against the
misuse and abuse of the IF, this indicator still appears frequently in
the "bibliometric" sections of the reports of many academic and research
institutions. But to my surprise I just discovered that most of Spanish
health-related institutions, including several of the most prestigious
ones, are using derived indicators like Impact Factor Global (adding all
the IF values of the papers) or Average Impact Factor (usually per
paper, but also per author) that are gross mathematical aberrations. The
reason for making public these "indicators" is because the funding
agencies are asking for them, including local and national govts,
private foundations and ... EC (!!??).

I do not know if it is possible some action of ISSI or even from
Clarivate to stop the use of these pseudo-indicators.

Thanks in advance,

--

**************************************************************
Isidro F. Aguillo
Dr. Honoris Causa Universitas Indonesia
Dr. Honoris Causa National Research Nuclear University Moscow
Editor Rankings Web
Cybermetrics Lab - Scimago Group, IPP-CSIC
Madrid. SPAIN

isidro.aguillo at csic.es
ORCID 0000-0001-8927-4873
ResearcherID: A-7280-2008
Scholar Citations SaCSbeoAAAAJ
Twitter @isidroaguillo
Rankings webometrics.info
***************************************************************

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