Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Comparing Bibliometric Analysis Using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science Databases
Published on: October 24, 2019
[Strengths and weaknesses of the impact factor of scientific journals]
Víctor Zárate B1, Jaime Cerda L
1Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, P. Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Abstract:
The impact factor is a bibliometric tool used to estimate the importance of scientific journals. It is calculated and published annually for journals indexed by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) and is a reflex of the average number of citations that each journal receives during a certain period of time. Since its creation it has been used as criteria in several decision-making processes such as buying journals subscriptions and submitting articles for publication. Operating under the hypothesis "the greater the impact factor, the greater the quality of a journal", it has been subject of numerous controversies, especially due to certain biases around its calculation. The present article describes the Impact Factor and analyses the most important aspects in relation to its calculation, strengths, limitations and common errors on its application.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Impact Strength of Concrete
Types of Impact
The coefficient of restitution is a metric for understanding the dynamics of impacts. It quantifies the ratio of relative velocity...
The Scientific Method
Impact
When particles with different initial velocities collide, they induce deformation by applying equal and opposite impulses. At the point of maximum deformation, the particles move together with...
Impact Loading
In cases of elastic deformation,...
Impact Loading on a Cantilever Beam
When an object is dropped onto the free end of a cantilever, its potential energy due to gravity is...
