article on impact factor in WSJ

["Hamaker, Chuck" <cahamake@email.uncc.edu>]

Science Journals Artfully Try
To Boost Their Rankings
WSJ
By SHARON BEGLEY
June 5, 2006; Page B1

Excerpts from the article:

"Scientists and editors say scientific journals increasingly are 
manipulating rankings -- called "impact factors" -- that are 
based on how often papers they publish are cited by other 
researchers."

"One questionable tactic is to ask authors to cite papers the 
journal already has published,..."

"Journals also can resort to "best-of" features, such as running 
annual summaries of their most notable papers"

"Journals can limit citations to papers published by competitors, 
keeping the rivals' impact factors down"

"Scientists and publishers worry that the cult of the impact 
factor is skewing the direction of research."

"Another concern is that impact factors, since they measure only 
how many times other scientists cite a paper, say nothing about 
whether journals publish studies that lead to something useful. 
As a result, there is pressure to publish studies that appeal to 
an academic audience oriented toward basic research."

Chuck Hamaker
Associate University Librarian Collections and Technical Services
Atkins Library
University of North Carolina Charlotte
Charlotte, NC 28223