A quantitative ranking of the Biomedical Informatics serials

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Informatics
• Bibliometrics
• Information Science

Background:

• Evaluating the impact and quality of scientific serials is crucial for researchers and librarians.
• Traditional methods often lack a comprehensive approach, relying on single metrics.
• Biomedical informatics is a rapidly growing interdisciplinary field requiring effective resource identification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a quantitative serial ranking system for biomedical informatics journals.
• To identify the top-ranking serials in biomedical informatics based on multiple criteria.

Main Methods:

• Developed a system incorporating citation analysis (Impact Factor, Immediacy Index, Total Citations), library usage statistics, and expert opinions.
• Included publication characteristics such as subscription cost, circulation, and indexing.
• Utilized data from 1987-1992, including interlibrary loan requests from the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Main Results:

• The developed system quantitatively ranked serials based on diverse evaluation criteria.
• Top-ranked serials included Computers and Biomedical Research, MD Computing, Methods of Information in Medicine, Medical Decision Making, and Computers in Biology and Medicine.

Conclusions:

• The quantitative serial ranking system provides a robust method for evaluating biomedical informatics journals.
• This system aids researchers and institutions in selecting high-impact and relevant publications.
• Citation analysis combined with other metrics offers a more comprehensive journal assessment.