Use of the h index to rank scientific Latin American journals: Colombia a case study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3989/redc.2013.1.876Keywords:
Google Scholar, h index, Colombia, ranking, policiesAbstract
The future of scientific journals in Latin America is uncertain. The inability to calculate bibliometric indicators to classify and homologate journals according to globally-used quartiles reduces journal visibility. For instance, Colombian journals classified in the National Bibliographic Database Publindex (BBNP) under categories A1, A2, B and C, have low rates of indexing in international databases, such as Web of Science or Scopus, thus limiting the estimation of bibliometric indicators for comparison at an international level. In this case study, articles published between 2003 and 2007 were taken from 211 journals selected from the BBNP- 2008. Using Google Scholar, Publish or Perish software and the Scopus database, impact and productivity indicators were quantified and compared creating a regional ranking (Q1-Q4). They were subsequently homologated internationally with the Scimago Journal Ranking (SJR). The h index proved the best indicator to generate the ranking of 170 Colombian journals based on quartiles (Q1-Q4) able to be homologated with SJR quartiles. We propose this methodology for classifying and homologating Latin American journals that are not indexed internationally, as a useful tool for publishers, publishing houses, information agencies and public policy decision-makers concerning education, science and technology, both regionally and globally.
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