The Journal Impact Factor: A Brief History, Critique, and Discussion of Adverse Effects

 By far the most often discussed bibliometric measure is the journal impact factor (JIF). It has had huge effects on the scientific environment since its introduction over 40 years ago, affecting the publishing business, shaping recruiting patterns and resource allocation, and, as a result, reorienting the research activities and dissemination practices of researchers. The  journal impact factor -JIF- has been extensively studied and argued by researchers of all disciplinary orientations due to its prevalence and effect.

 

This chapter provides a brief history of the indicator and highlights well-known limitations, such as the asymmetry between the numerator and the denominator, differences across disciplines, the insufficient citation window, and the skewness of the underlying citation distributions, based on existing literature as well as original research.

 

The JIF's infa- tion and waning predictive capacity are explored, as well as the negative consequences for individual players and the research enterprise. The chapter finishes with a plea for responsible implementation and a discussion of potential developments in journal indicators.

 

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