Impact factor: Universalism and reliability of assessment
Andrzej Grzybowski1, Rafał Patryn2
1Department of Ophthalmology, Poznan City Hospital, Poznan, Poland; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland.
Clinics in Dermatology
|May 18, 2017
Summary
Eugene Garfield introduced the impact factor (IF) in 1955 to assess scientific journal quality. Initially intended for journals, IF is now widely, and often inappropriately, used to evaluate researchers and institutions.
Area of Science:
- Bibliometrics
- Scholarly Communication
- Scientometrics
Background:
- The dominance of a few interdisciplinary journals in academic publishing was observed.
- A need for quantifiable metrics to assess journal quality was identified.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce the concept and necessity of the impact factor (IF) for evaluating scientific journals.
- To trace the origin and evolution of bibliometric indicators in scientific assessment.
Main Methods:
- The development of the impact factor (IF) by Eugene Garfield and Irving H. Sher.
- Analysis of citation data through the Science Citation Index, established in 1963.
Main Results:
- The impact factor (IF) emerged as a fundamental measure for evaluating scientific publications and journals.
- The IF's application expanded beyond its original scope, influencing author and institutional assessments.
Conclusions:
- The impact factor (IF) has become a ubiquitous metric in science evaluation since the 1960s.
- The widespread use of IF for assessing individual researchers and institutions deviates from its original purpose.
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