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On indexing in the Web of Science and predicting journal impact factor

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Abstract

We discuss what document types account for the calculation of the journal impact factor (JIF) as published in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR). Based on a brief review of articles discussing how to predict JIFs and taking data differences between the Web of Science (WoS) and the JCR into account, we make our own predictions. Using data by cited-reference searching for Thomson Scientific’s WoS, we predict 2007 impact factors (IFs) for several journals, such as Nature, Science, Learned Publishing and some Library and Information Sciences journals. Based on our colleagues’ experiences we expect our predictions to be lower bounds for the official journal impact factors. We explain why it is useful to derive one’s own journal impact factor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Journals of Zhejiang University SCIENCE (A&B), Zhejiang University Press, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Xiu-fang Wu

  2. Zhejiang University Press, Hangzhou, 310028, China

    Qiang Fu

  3. KHBO-Association K.U. Leuven, Industrial Sciences and Technology, Zeedijk, 101-8400, Oostende, Belgium

    Ronald Rousseau

  4. K.U. Leuven, Steunpunt O&O Indicatoren, Dekenstraat 2, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Ronald Rousseau

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  1. Xiu-fang Wu
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  2. Qiang Fu
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  3. Ronald Rousseau
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Correspondence to Xiu-fang Wu.

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Wu, Xf., Fu, Q. & Rousseau, R. On indexing in the Web of Science and predicting journal impact factor. J. Zhejiang Univ. Sci. B 9, 582–590 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B0840001

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B0840001

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