This document discusses strategies for selecting high-impact journals for publication. It notes that tenure requirements often emphasize publications with national or international impact. It then explains common metrics for measuring journal impact, including Impact Factor from Journal Citation Reports. Alternative metrics from Scopus like SJR and SNIP are also discussed. The document compares journal ranking sources and their disciplinary coverage, and notes other data to consider beyond impact metrics, like acceptance rates. It concludes by offering help from the author in selecting journals.

1. How To Be Strategic About
Publications – Journal Impact
Rachel Borchardt (Library)
American University
January 10, 2014

2. Why be strategic?
• Scholarship expectations for tenure-track
faculty (from the faculty manual, p. 29-30):
“All teaching units or academic units must have
criteria that require creative, scholarly, and
professional achievements of the highest quality
and with national or international impact.”
[italics added for emphasis]

3. Impact
• How does one measure impact?
Scholarly impact
measured by:
- Journal
- Article
- Author
Today, focusing
on journal impact
to select highimpact journals
for submission
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aussiegall/286709039

4. Impact for journals
• Impact Factor – Journal Citation Reports
Cites to recent items
---------------------------Number of recent items

5. Impact Factor alternatives
Scopus uses:
• SCImago Journal Ranking (SJR)
• Source Normalized Impact per Paper (SNIP)
Algorithms based on
Google’s PageRank
(aka, it’s complicated)

6. Journal rankings
• Rankings based on impact metrics (Impact
Factor, SJR, etc.)
• Discipline coverage varies by product
- Journal Citation
Reports (shown)
- Scopus
- Google Scholar

7. Comparison of journal rankings
• JCR
– Strongest coverage in sciences, some social
sciences and humanities
• Scopus
– Strongest (of the three) in social sciences
• Google Scholar
– Strongest coverage in sciences, but can be
searched by keyword

8. Other data to consider
• Acceptance rate
– Sometimes listed on websites, but usually check
with the publisher
• Circulation statistics
– Again, check with the publisher
• Non-data considerations as well (to be
covered by others)

9. How can I get help?
• My (metaphorical) door is open!
Rachel Borchardt
borchard@american.edu
X3657
• Library workshops offered in the fall
• Happy to work with you one-on-one