Industrial Engineering Graduate Library Seminar

Use Journal Citation Reports to determine the ranking of journals.

Search for your topic area or specific journal. Browse the Categories list linked at the top of the page and then narrow down your topic from the list of categories. For this example, I browsed the categories for Industrial Engineering Journals:

The default order is by the most recent Journal Impact Factor (JIF). If the JIF is not available, you can order journals by Journal Citation Index (JCI) ranking.

Journal Impact Factor (JIF)

A functional approximation of the mean citation rate per citable item. A Journal Impact Factor of 1.0 means that, on average, the articles published one or two years ago have been cited one time.

 

Journal Citation Index (JCI) ranking

Based on citations from all documents in the three previous years to articles published in the previous three years. The JCI is normalized for document type, publication year, and category. The average JCI for any category is 1. A JCI of 2 indicates that a journal is receiving twice the expected number of citations for the average journal in the category.

In general, science-related journals are more likely to include a JIF; while arts-related journals tend to have a JCI ranking.

Some things to keep in mind:

• The practice of self-citing can impact results. Some journal editorial practices, such as requiring authors to add citations from articles within the journal, may inflate impact factors.
• International journal coverage can be poorly represented.
• Disciplines with traditionally fewer journals can be at a disadvantage. Comparing journals within the same discipline is important.

A refereed journal is one that participates in blind, peer-review process to determine the accuracy of information and appropriateness of research methodology of articles accepted for publication. 

One way to find determine if a journal is refereed is to check Ulrich's Periodicals Directory. When you search for a journal title or a topic, the database provides a list of possible matches, like this.

Notice that the search results table includes a column with an icon for a black and white referee's jersey. Items that are refereed show that icon.

Many publishers offer journal matching tools to help researchers determine which journals are best for their work:

Endnote Manuscript Matcher - Use your manuscript title, abstract, and references to find the best place to submit your work. You can use Endnote online, Endnote Desktop or the Cite While You Write toolbar in Microsoft Word. Provides links to the journal website with information about the publishing process.

IEEE Publication Recommender - Use your article title, abstract, or keywords from your article to get recommendations and publication information for over 200 publications and 2000 conferences from IEEE. You can narrow your results by submission-to-publication time and impact factor.

Elsevier (Engineering Village) Journal Finder - Use your title and abstract to receive a list of up to 40 recommended journals indexed in Scopus.

Springer Nature Journal Suggester - Use your title, abstract or description of your article, and subject area to find matching journals from 2,500 Springer journals.

Wiley Journal Finder - Use your title and abstract to get 3-5 curated recommendations for over 1,600 Wiley journals to publish in.

Open Access Journals are freely available to others, undergo a peer review process that is often compatible with traditional journals, and will often require an Article Processing Charge to cover publication costs.

Predatory publishers use the Open Access Journal model to profit by charging authors to publish in their journals, however many do not have a true peer review process. Publishing in these journals can be harmful to researchers who think they are publishing in reputable journals.

Beall's List of Potential Predatory Journals and Publishers can be used as a guide to identify potential predatory publishers or low-quality journals.

You can find trusted Open Access Journals through the non-profit organization called the Directory of Open Access Journals. You can also limit your search journals without article processing charges and that receive a DOAJ seal. 

Web of Science can help you identify the agencies that are funding research in a specific area or topic within your field. Follow the steps below to find funding sources.

1. Change the drop down menu on the search to Topic. Enter your topic, then search. 

2. It may also be helpful to limit your search results using the filter on the left for Research Area. Check the box, then click Refine to update your results. 

3. At the top of the page, click the Analyze Results button. 

4. Change the drop down menu at the top to Funding Agencies. You'll see a visualization and list of agencies by record count. 

For more information on the Journal Publishing Process, see the following:

• International Food Information Services: Guide to Getting Published in Journals
• Elsevier: Publishing with Elsevier: Step-by-Step
• Taylor & Francis Group: How to Publish a Journal Article
• PLOS: Understanding the Publishing Process