Calculation of Impact Factor

Impact Factor Formula:

\[ IF = \frac{citations_{year\_N} + citations_{year\_N-1}}{articles_{year\_N-1} + articles_{year\_N-2}} \]

Citations in current year (N):

citations

Citations in previous year (N-1):

citations

Articles published in year N-1:

articles

Articles published in year N-2:

articles

Impact Factor (IF):

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1. What is Impact Factor?

The Impact Factor (IF) is a measure of the frequency with which the average article in a journal has been cited in a particular year. It is used to measure the importance or rank of a journal by calculating the times its articles are cited.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Impact Factor formula:

\[ IF = \frac{citations_{year\_N} + citations_{year\_N-1}}{articles_{year\_N-1} + articles_{year\_N-2}} \]

Where:

\( citations_{year\_N} \) — Citations received in the current year
\( citations_{year\_N-1} \) — Citations received in the previous year
\( articles_{year\_N-1} \) — Articles published in the previous year
\( articles_{year\_N-2} \) — Articles published two years prior

Explanation: The numerator is the number of citations in the current and previous year, while the denominator is the number of citable items published in those same two years.

3. Importance of Impact Factor

Details: Impact Factor is widely used (though sometimes controversial) as a metric for academic journals. It helps researchers evaluate journals and decide where to publish, and institutions use it to assess research output.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the number of citations received in the current and previous year, and the number of articles published in the previous two years. All values must be non-negative integers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a good Impact Factor?
A: This varies by field. In general, IF > 10 is excellent, 3-10 is good, while below 3 is average or field-dependent.

Q2: How often is Impact Factor calculated?
A: Typically calculated annually and released in Journal Citation Reports by Clarivate Analytics.

Q3: What are limitations of Impact Factor?
A: It can be skewed by a few highly cited papers, doesn't account for article type or quality, and varies widely between disciplines.

Q4: Can Impact Factor be compared across fields?
A: No, citation practices vary significantly between fields. It should only be used to compare journals within the same discipline.

Q5: Are there alternatives to Impact Factor?
A: Yes, metrics like CiteScore, h-index, SCImago Journal Rank, and Eigenfactor are also used.