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Impact Factor Formula:
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The Journal Impact Factor (JIF) is a measure of the frequency with which the average article in a journal has been cited in a particular year. It is used to evaluate the relative importance of a journal within its field.
The calculator uses the standard Impact Factor formula:
Where:
Explanation: The Impact Factor represents the average number of citations per published item over a two-year period.
Details: Impact Factor is widely used by researchers, librarians, and publishers to assess journal quality, make publication decisions, and evaluate research performance.
Tips: Enter the total number of citations received in the current year and the total number of citable items published in the previous two years. Both values must be valid (citations ≥ 0, citable items > 0).
Q1: What is considered a good Impact Factor?
A: Impact Factor values vary by field. Generally, IF > 10 is considered excellent, 5-10 is very good, 3-5 is good, and below 3 is average to low, though this varies significantly across disciplines.
Q2: How often is Impact Factor calculated?
A: Journal Impact Factors are calculated annually and published in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) by Clarivate Analytics.
Q3: What counts as a "citable item"?
A: Citable items typically include research articles, reviews, and proceedings papers. Letters, editorials, and meeting abstracts are usually not counted.
Q4: Are there limitations to Impact Factor?
A: Yes, limitations include field-dependent variations, potential for manipulation, and it doesn't measure individual article quality or author impact.
Q5: What are alternatives to Impact Factor?
A: Alternatives include CiteScore, SCImago Journal Rank (SJR), Source Normalized Impact per Paper (SNIP), and Google Scholar Metrics.