Problems of JCR categories: Information Science & Library Science
Title
Problems of JCR categories: Information Science & Library Science
Subject
Classification; Periodicals; Library science; Libraries; Information science; Bibliographical citations--Analysis
Description
Introduction and Method
The Impact Factor, IF, ranking of journals in Journal Citation Reports (JCR), influences journals’ academic evaluation and the IF ranking which is closely related to its journal’s category. The author has analyzed 88 Information Science and Library Science (IS & LS) journals under JCR to explore the problems of JCR through bibliometrics. The citations and the author’s organizations of four different sub-categories, Library Science, LS, Information Science, IS, Scientometrics, SM and Management Information System, MIS, moreover, four specific journals, LISR, JASIST, SMs and MISQ have been studied. The IF and quartile distributions of these journals also have been examined.
Finding
This research shows that the articles in IS & LS, LS, IS and SM mostly cite the literatures from LIS, except MIS. Articles in LS, IS and SM cite the literatures from LIS, computer science, general science and medicine science mostly; while articles in MIS mostly cite the literatures from MIS, computer science, management and business. As for the author’s organization, authors in IS & LS and LIS journals are mostly from LIS organization; authors in MIS are basically from MIS, LIS and business schools.
Conclusion
This research has found that the IF is significantly different between MIS and LIS. The quartile value of MIS falls within Q1, while the quartile value of LS mostly falls within Q4. As it shows, the top 25% in journal rankings are mostly occupied by MIS journals; this might have a negative impact on the IF ranking and academic evaluations of LIS journals and authors. Besides, LIS journals sometimes cite MIS journals; articles in MIS almost never cite from LIS journals. The authors from MIS and LIS journals mostly come from organizations in different disciplines. To summarize, the journals in MIS and LIS are heterogeneous.
The Impact Factor, IF, ranking of journals in Journal Citation Reports (JCR), influences journals’ academic evaluation and the IF ranking which is closely related to its journal’s category. The author has analyzed 88 Information Science and Library Science (IS & LS) journals under JCR to explore the problems of JCR through bibliometrics. The citations and the author’s organizations of four different sub-categories, Library Science, LS, Information Science, IS, Scientometrics, SM and Management Information System, MIS, moreover, four specific journals, LISR, JASIST, SMs and MISQ have been studied. The IF and quartile distributions of these journals also have been examined.
Finding
This research shows that the articles in IS & LS, LS, IS and SM mostly cite the literatures from LIS, except MIS. Articles in LS, IS and SM cite the literatures from LIS, computer science, general science and medicine science mostly; while articles in MIS mostly cite the literatures from MIS, computer science, management and business. As for the author’s organization, authors in IS & LS and LIS journals are mostly from LIS organization; authors in MIS are basically from MIS, LIS and business schools.
Conclusion
This research has found that the IF is significantly different between MIS and LIS. The quartile value of MIS falls within Q1, while the quartile value of LS mostly falls within Q4. As it shows, the top 25% in journal rankings are mostly occupied by MIS journals; this might have a negative impact on the IF ranking and academic evaluations of LIS journals and authors. Besides, LIS journals sometimes cite MIS journals; articles in MIS almost never cite from LIS journals. The authors from MIS and LIS journals mostly come from organizations in different disciplines. To summarize, the journals in MIS and LIS are heterogeneous.
Creator
Shaw, Wang-Ching
Publisher
Chinese American Librarians Association
Date
2018-06-24
Rights
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
Format
application/pdf; application/ppt
Language
eng
Type
Presentation files; Text
Date Issued
2018-06-24
Bibliographic Citation
Shaw, Wang-Ching (2018). Problems of JCR categories: Information Science & Library Science. The Chinese American Librarian Association (CALA) 2018 Annual Conference Poster Session. New Orleans, LA, June 24, 2018.
Collection
Citation
Shaw, Wang-Ching, “Problems of JCR categories: Information Science & Library Science,” CALASYS - CALA Academic Resources & Repository System, accessed January 26, 2020, http://ir.cala-web.org/items/show/465.