Journal Impact Factors for evaluating scientific performance: use of h-like indicators

Sebastian K. Boell () and Concepción S. Wilson ()
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Sebastian K. Boell: University of New South Wales
Concepción S. Wilson: University of New South Wales

Scientometrics, 2010, vol. 82, issue 3, No 14, 613-626

Abstract: Abstract This article introduces the Impact Factor squared or IF2-index, an h-like indicator of research performance. This indicator reflects the degree to which large entities such as countries and/or their states participate in top-level research in a field or subfield. The IF2-index uses the Journal Impact Factor (JIF) of research publications instead of the number of citations. This concept is applied to other h-type indexes and their results compared to the IF2-index. These JIF-based indexes are then used to assess the overall performance of cancer research in Australia and its states over 8 years from 1999 to 2006. The IF2-index has three advantages when evaluating larger research units: firstly, it provides a stable value that does not change over time, reflecting the degree to which a research unit participated in top-level research in a given year; secondly, it can be calculated closely approximating the publication date of yearly datasets; and finally, it provides an additional dimension when a full article-based citation analysis is not feasible. As the index reflects the degree of participation in top-level research it may favor larger units when units of different sizes are compared.

Keywords: Journal Impact Factor; IF2-index; Research evaluation; Australia; Cancer research; h-Index; h-Type indexes; h-Like indexes; Scientometrics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11192-010-0175-y

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