Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The self-cited rate of scientific journals and the manipulation of their impact factors

  • Published:
Scientometrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Owing to some discussions about manipulating impact factor by requesting authors to increase their citations to the publication journal, we theoretically establish a mathematical expression of a relation between the journal self-citation rate and its impact factor by the single-factor method in this paper. Based on self-citation data of some journals in JCR and the observed relation between journal impact factor and the self-cited rate, we analyze the possibility that journal editors manipulate impact factors of their journals by raising the self-cited rate. Finally, we make some suggestions for supervising this crude way of active manipulating the impact factor.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amin, M., Mabe, M. (2000), Impact factors: Use and abuse, Perspectives in Publishing, October (1) 1–6, Elsevier Science.

  • Dong, P., Loh, M., Mondry, A. (2005), The “impact factor” revisited, Biomedical Digital Libraries, 2: 7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Egghe, L., Rousseau, R. (1990), Introduction to Information. Elsevier Science Publishers.

  • Fassoulaki, A., Paraskeva, K., Papilas, K., Karabinis, G. (2000), Self-citations in six anaesthesia journals and their significance in determining the impact factor, British Journal of Anaesthesia, 84(2): 266–269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garfield, E. (1999), Journal impact factor: a brief review, Canadian Medical Association Journal, 161(8): 979–980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glänzel, W., Thijs, B., Schlemmer, B. (2004), A bibliometric approach to the role of author self-citations in scientific communication, Scientometrics, 59(1): 63–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hemmingsson, A., Mygind, T., Skjennald, A., Edgren, J. (2002), Manipulation of impact factors by editors of scientific journals, American Journal of Roentgenology, 178(3): 767.

    Google Scholar 

  • Motamed, M., Mehta, D., Basavaraj S., Fuad, F. (2002), Title self citations and impact factors in otolaryngology journals, Clinical Otolaryngology 27(5): 318–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neuberger, J., Counsell, C. (2002), Impact factors: uses and abuses, European Journal of Gastroenterol Hepatol, 14: 209–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rousseau, R., Hooydonk, G. V. (1996), Journal production and journal impact factors. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 47(10): 775–780.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sevinc, A. (2004), Manipulating impact factor: an unethical issue or an Editor’s choice? Swiss Medical Weekly, 134: 410.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R. (1997), Journal accused of manipulating impact factor, British Medical Journal, (15): 314–315.

  • Tagliacozzo, R. (1977), Self-citation in scientific literature, Journal of Documentation, 33: 251–265.

    Google Scholar 

  • William, G. J. (2000), Notes from the Editor: Concerns and innovations, Journal of Politics, 65(2): 1–4.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, G., Wang, X. H., Yu, D. R. (2005), The influence of publication delays on impact factors, Scientometrics, 64(2): 235–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, G., Guo, R., Li, Y. J. (2006), The influence of publication delays on three ISI indicators, Scientometrics, 69(3): 511–527.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China

    Guang Yu & Liang Wang

  2. Library, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 17, Silin Street, NanGang, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, P. R. China

    Guang Yu

Authors
  1. Guang Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Liang Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Guang Yu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yu, G., Wang, L. The self-cited rate of scientific journals and the manipulation of their impact factors. Scientometrics 73, 321–330 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-007-1779-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-007-1779-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation