Journal quality [Neurosurgery Wiki]

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====== Journal quality ======


Both the [[impact factor]] (IF) and the [[h5-index]] are important journal metrics, but they measure different aspects of a [[journal]]’s influence and should ideally be considered together when evaluating journal quality.

Impact Factor reflects the average number of citations to articles published in a journal over a two-year period. It is widely recognized and often associated with journal prestige and reputation in the field. A high impact factor suggests that articles in the journal are frequently cited soon after publication, which is often interpreted as a sign of influence and quality.

h5-index (as calculated by Google Scholar) measures how many articles published in the last five years have received at least that same number of citations. For example, an h5-index of 60 means the journal published 60 articles in the past five years that were each cited at least 60 times. The h5-index gives a sense of both productivity and consistent citation impact over a longer, more current window, and is less affected by a few highly cited papers or journal size.

Which is more important?

Impact factor is most useful for assessing a journal’s perceived prestige and reputation in its field.

h5-index provides a broader view of a journal’s sustained citation impact and can be more representative for journals that publish many articles or have a diverse scope.

Conclusion:
Neither metric is universally “more important.” The best approach is to consider both: use the impact factor to gauge a journal’s reputation and the h5-index to understand its sustained citation impact and consistency. This combined perspective offers a more realistic assessment of journal quality and influence.