Suppose somewhere a great discovery was made, and the research paper may be published under an unknown journal that hardly anyone reads. Surely, it would have had a more significant impact if it were published in a reputable journal. The academic world would tend to agree judging this difference by the Impact Factor.
In this day and age of ever-increasing numbers of researchers wishing to be read by as many people as possible, Impact Factor (IF) has become a criterion to reckon with. But what is it? How is it measured? Is it the right measure of quality, anyway? Let’s find out.
What is Impact Factor?
An Impact Factor, in theory, is an “academic report card” for a journal. It shows how many times articles published in that journal have been cited in other research papers since its inception. This number is calculated on an annual basis.
Formula:
- A = Number of times articles published in that journal in 2022 and 2023 were cited in 2024
- B = Total number of articles published in 2022 and 2023
- A/B = Impact factor of 2024
Assuming the journal has published 100 articles in two years and was cited three hundred times, then the IF would be 300/100 = 3.0.
Why is IF important?
Understanding its true value begins with how it helps researchers shape their academic journey.
Benefits for researchers:
Increased credibility: Any research published in reputed journals is taken more seriously by the academic community.
Increased visibility: Put simply, more readers are likely to reach out.
Career and funding opportunities: Publishing in a good impact factor journal thereby strengthens a researcher’s profile and increases grant and job opportunities.
Helpful for readers:
Impact factor helps the readers decide the journals trustworthy and have greater scientific contribution.
Tip: But remember, impact factor is just an indicator, not a guarantee of quality.
How to find the impact factor?
- Journal Citation Reports (JCR) – this is the most authoritative source but requires institutional access.
- Scopus and CiteScore – CiteScore by Scopus is an alternative measure, on four years of citations.
- Journal websites – most respected publishers publish IF on their site.
- Google Scholar – it shows an h-index, but no IF.
Cautions: Predatory journals frequently display false IFs; always verify from a trusted source.
What is considered a good impact factor?
According to 2024 data:
- Only 0.66% of 21,916 journals have IF of 20 or above.
- 62% of journals have an IF of just 1.
- Most common disciplines have IF of 2 or less.
This accounts for the fact that journals of high IF are scarce and unavailable in all subjects. Some subjects like life sciences or medicine tend to have naturally high IF.
Goods and Bads of High Impact Factor
Goods:
- Prestige, credibility, and high influence
- Useful for career advancement
- Increased chances to get grants and awards
Bads:
- Not every discipline has high IF journals
- Lengthy review processes may lead to the publication of studies that are not time-relevant
- Sometimes it may also be better to publish in journals with lower IFs, especially if they are open access
Under which situation impact factor doesn’t matter?
- If your research is on a very specific topic
- If your priority is to get your research published quickly
- If social or policy impact was your focus, then being in a top journal meant nothing.
Abstract: Quality, readership, and relevance of research matter more than IF.
Classification of Journals: What is Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4?
There are four quartiles per discipline:
- Q1: Top 25% and most prestige
- Q2: Good balance
- Q3: Emerging or specialized fields
- Q4: New or with a limited reach
Choosing a top-level journal is not absolutely essential, but rather a journal which corresponds to your research.
Metrics other than Impact Factor
- CiteScore (Scopus) – based on four years of data
- SNIP – Normalized impact by subject
- Altmetric Badge – Discussion on social media and news sites
- Journal Citation Indicator (JCI) – for cross-discipline comparison
- 5-Year Impact Factor – Average IF over five years
Also, it is very important to keep these statistics in mind:
- Acceptance Rate
- Submission to Publication Time
- Top Reader Countries
- Peer-review Duration
Conclusion:
Impact factor is a key pointer of reputation and influence of a journal, indicating how often articles published in that journal are cited by other researchers. It allows researchers to build recognition, credibility, and opportunity in their academic journey. Despite all this, it is vital to remember that impact factor is not the ultimate determinant of research quality.
