Standardized ISI Impact Factors Adjusted by Circulation Rates for Astronomy and Multidisciplinary Titles

 

Abstract

 

ISI Impact factors are published in their annual SCI Journal Citation Reports. However, these figures do not take into consideration the size of the readership when calculating a journal’s impact.  One might think that journals with higher circulation would have a higher impact partly because more people would read and cite the articles.  For 26 of the 36 titles listed in the “Astronomy and Astrophysics” section of the 1999 SCI Journal Citation Reports, the impact factors were divided by circulation rates to calculate a standardized impact per circulation amount.  A calculation for the top 14 of 21 “Multidisciplinary” titles is also provided for comparison.

 

http://www.du.edu/~jokraus/SLA/astrocites.html

Note: If you print out the web page, you may have to use landscape mode to get all of the data from the tables.

What is my standardized impact?

 

 

ISI Impact Factor©

------------------------   X 1,000

Circulation

 

 

Example - Journal of Astronomical Widgets

 

0.63

-------   X 1,000 = 0.84

750

          


Caveats

 

·      Some of these titles are book serials and not traditional journal titles.

·      The definition for “circulation” may be different from one publisher to the next. (Subscriptions, number of printed copies, number distributed [subscription plus free], some reported estimates or rough figures, etc.)

·      Circulation is a rough approximation for the number of readers.  A single library copy serves an unknown number of patrons.

·      Most of these figures do not take into consideration electronic access (Annual Reviews, U. of Chicago Press, Ideal, etc.)

·      Some have wide circulation because they are considered core and have a wide readership, but not necessarily readership among people that will cite the articles in research.

·      Higher circulation rates for a research journal may indicate that it has articles of higher quality.

·      Some are “popular science” magazines without peer-reviewed articles.

 

More Caveats

 

·      Researchers may get their articles from a variety of sources, not just a personal or institutional print subscription.  (From a colleague, ILL, author reprint request, travel to another institution, web access, etc.)

·      Some of the subscriptions are based on belonging to a society or organization. (AAAS)

·      The 1999 Impact factor data relates to the impact of the articles published in 1997 and 1998.  The circulation rates are the most recent available.

·      Some of the circ data came from Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory, and some from Magazines for Libraries, and they do not cite where the data came from.

·      Other data came from email or over the phone.

·      Does not take into consideration the number of A&I sources that index the source. If more sources index the journal, then there may be a greater chance of patrons finding citations to the journal.

·      Some of these are niche journals – it might be possible that a lot of the citations are to itself.

·      Others?

Notes

 

·      Most of the publishers did not respond to email requests for information.

·      Many misunderstood my request.  First giving me prices, then the number of issues that get sent with each volume.

·      Difficult to find the person at the publishing house that knows that data.

·      Some wanted to know why I was trying to get that data.

·      Had an easy time of getting the data from some commercial presses; it was more difficult to get the data from foreign society presses.

·      Some publishers consider this information proprietary. (So that the competition does not see the income base for the journal.)

·      Would also be interesting to see data by price per journal, price per article, price per page.

Astronomy journals sorted by ISI Impact Factor

 

Journal title

ISI Impact

Circulation

Standardized impact

Publisher

Annual Review of Astronomy & Astrophysics -1

15.067

4500

3.348

Annual Reviews

Annual Review of Earth & Planetary Science -2

5.333

4000

1.333

Annual Reviews

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society -3

4.548

1130

4.025

Blackwell Scientific Publications ???

Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series -4

3.749

1000

3.749

U of Chicago Press for the AAS

New Astronomy -5

2.947

310

9.506

Elsevier

Astronomical Journal -6

2.876

1750

1.643

U of Chicago Press for the AAS

Astroparticle Physics -7

2.812

325

8.652

Elsevier Science B.V

Icarus -8

2.795

?

?

Academic Press

Solar Physics -9

2.757

1200

2.298

Kluwer

Astrophysical Journal -10

2.543

3000

0.848

University of Chicago Press for the AAS

Acta Astronomica -11

2.446

250

9.784

Akademia Nauk, Komitet Astronomii ???

Astronomy & Astrophysics -12

2.252

813

2.770

EDP Sciences/Springer

Space Science Reviews -13

2.116

1200

1.763

Kluwer

Annales geophysicae. Atmospheres, hydrospheres, and space sciences -14

1.727

?

?

European Geophysical SocietySpringer

Revista mexicana de astronomía y astrofísica -15 (controlled circ)

1.722

800

2.153

Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Revista mexicana de astronomía y astrofísica -15 (paid circ)

1.722

200

8.610

Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Astronomy & Astrophysics Supplement -16

1.630

Merged w/ A&A

?

EDP Sciences/Springer

Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan -17

1.396

1635

0.854

Astronomical Society of Japan

Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific -18

1.314

3000

0.438

ASP

International journal of modern physics. D, Gravitation, astrophysics, cosmology -19

1.064

?

?

World Scientific

Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics -20

0.967

?

?

G&B

Planetary and Space Science -21

0.905

1250

0.724

Pergamon

Astronomy and Astrophysics Review -22

0.875

450

1.944

Springer

Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia -23

0.868

?

?

Published for the Astronomical Society of Australia by CSIRO

Astronomy Letters + -24

0.668

?

?

American Institute of Physics

IAU Symposia -25

0.627

400

1.568

Astronomical Society of the Pacific

Astronomische Nachrichten -26

0.600

300

2.000

Wiley/Astronomische Nachrichten

Astronomy Reports (Soviet astronomy) + -27

0.592

?

?

American Institute of Physics - Translation

Advances in Space Research : the Official journal of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) -28

0.521

260

2.004

Pergamon Press

Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy -29

0.511

850

0.601

Kluwer

Astronomy & Geophysics : the journal of the Royal Astronomical Society -30

0.403

3700

0.109

Published for the Royal Astronomical Society by Blackwell Scientific

Experimental Astronomy -31

0.397

610

0.651

Kluwer

Observatory -32

0.388

1000

0.388

???

Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy -33

0.286

800

0.358

Indian Academy of Sciences

Astrophysics and Space Science -34

0.275

775

0.355

Kluwer

Il Nuovo cimento della Società italiana di fisica. C -35

0.197

?

?

Italian Physical Society

Earth, Moon, and Planets -36

0.089

?

?

Kluwer

 

Astronomy journals sorted by standardized Impact Factor

 

 

Journal title

ISI Impact

Circulation

Standardized impact

Publisher

1

Acta Astronomica -11

2.446

250

9.784

Akademia Nauk, Komitet Astronomii ???

2

New Astronomy -5

2.947

310

9.506

Elsevier

3

Astroparticle Physics -7

2.812

325

8.652

Elsevier Science B.V

4

Revista mexicana de astronomía y astrofísica -15 (paid circ)

1.722

200

8.610

Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

4

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society -3

4.548

1130

4.025

Blackwell Scientific Publications ???

5

Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series -4

3.749

1000

3.749

U of Chicago Press for the AAS

6

Annual Review of Astronomy & Astrophysics -1

15.067

4500

3.348

Annual Reviews

7

Astronomy & Astrophysics -12

2.252

813

2.770

EDP Sciences/Springer

8

Solar Physics -9

2.757

1200

2.298

Kluwer

9

Revista mexicana de astronomía y astrofísica -15 (controlled circ)

1.722

800

2.153

Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

10

Advances in Space Research : the Official journal of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) -28

0.521

260

2.004

Pergamon Press

11

Astronomische Nachrichten -26

0.600

300

2.000

Wiley/Astronomische Nachrichten

12

Astronomy and Astrophysics Review -22

0.875

450

1.944

Springer

13

Space Science Reviews -13

2.116

1200

1.763

Kluwer

14

Astronomical Journal -6

2.876

1750

1.643

U of Chicago Press for the AAS

15

IAU Symposia -25

0.627

400

1.568

Astronomical Society of the Pacific

16

Annual Review of Earth & Planetary Science -2

5.333

4000

1.333

Annual Reviews

17

Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan -17

1.396

1635

0.854

Astronomical Society of Japan

18

Astrophysical Journal -10

2.543

3000

0.848

University of Chicago Press for the AAS

19

Planetary and Space Science -21

0.905

1250

0.724

Pergamon

20

Experimental Astronomy -31

0.397

610

0.651

Kluwer

21

Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy -29

0.511

850

0.601

Kluwer

22

Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific -18

1.314

3000

0.438

ASP

23

Observatory -32

0.388

1000

0.388

???

24

Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy -33

0.286

800

0.358

Indian Academy of Sciences

25

Astrophysics and Space Science -34

0.275

775

0.355

Kluwer

26

Astronomy & Geophysics : the journal of the Royal Astronomical Society -30

0.403

3700

0.109

Published for the Royal Astronomical Society by Blackwell Scientific

 

Multidisciplinary Journals sorted by ISI Impact Factor

 

Journal title

ISI Impact

Circ.

Standardized impact

 

Publisher

Nature

29.491

55613

0.530

Nature Publishing

Science

24.595

160000

0.154

AAAS

Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA

10.260

8500

1.207

NAS

Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

2.400

2000

1.200

NIST

Scientific American

1.711

637528

0.003

Scientific American, Inc

American Scientist

1.692

103000

0.016

Sigma Xi

Proceedings [of the Royal Society of London. Series A], Mathematical, physical and engineering sciences

1.446

1400

1.033

Royal Society of London

IBM Journal of Research & Development

1.425

25000

0.057

IBM

Philosophical transactions [of the Royal Society of London. Series A], Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences

1.416

1436

0.986

Royal Society of London

Naturwissenschaften

1.279

?

?

Springer

Fractals

1.041

?

?

World Scientific

Annals of the New York Academy of Science

0.964

1000

0.964

New York Academy of Sciences

Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand

0.927

300

3.090

The Society

Supramolecular Science

0.787

?

?

Butterworth-Heinemann/Elsevier

Endeavour

0.764

10000

0.076

Pergamon Press

Proceedings of the Japan Academy. Series B: Physical and biological sciences

0.756

?

?

The Academy

International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos in Applied Sciences and Engineering

0.729

?

?

World Scientific

New Scientist

0.635

100923

0.006

New Science Publications

CR Acad SCI III-VIE

0.617

3200

0.193

Elsevier

Current Science (India)

0.567

4000

0.142

Current Science

Scientist

0.541

53000

0.010

The Scientist

 

 

Multidisciplinary journals sorted by standardized Impact Factor

 

Journal title

ISI Impact

Circ.

Standardized impact

 

Publisher

Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand

0.927

300

3.090

The Society

Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA

10.260

8500

1.207

NAS

Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

2.400

2000

1.200

NIST

Proceedings [of the Royal Society of London. Series A], Mathematical, physical and engineering sciences

1.446

1400

1.033

Royal Society of London

Philosophical transactions [of the Royal Society of London. Series A], Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences

1.416

1436

0.986

Royal Society of London

Annals of the New York Academy of Science

0.964

1000

0.964

New York Academy of Sciences

Nature

29.491

55613

0.530

Nature Publishing

CR Acad SCI III-VIE

0.617

3200

0.193

Elsevier

Science

24.595

160000

0.154

AAAS

Current Science (India)

0.567

4000

0.142

Current Science

Endeavour

0.764

10000

0.076

Pergamon Press

IBM Journal of Research & Development

1.425

25000

0.057

IBM

American Scientist

1.692

103000

0.016

Sigma Xi

Scientist

0.541

53000

0.010

The Scientist

New Scientist

0.635

100923

0.006

New Science Publications

Scientific American

1.711

637528

0.003

Scientific American, Inc

Naturwissenschaften

1.279

?

?

Springer

Fractals

1.041

?

?

World Scientific

Supramolecular Science

0.787

?

?

Butterworth-Heinemann/Elsevier

Proceedings of the Japan Academy. Series B: Physical and biological sciences

0.756

?

?

The Academy

International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos in Applied Sciences and Engineering

0.729

?

?

World Scientific

 

 

Astronomy and multidisc. journals sorted by standardized Impact Factor

 

Journal title

ISI Impact

Circulation

Standardized impact

Acta Astronomica -11

2.446

250

9.784

New Astronomy -5

2.947

310

9.506

Astroparticle Physics -7

2.812

325

8.652

Revista mexicana de astronomía y astrofísica -15 (paid circ)

1.722

200

8.610

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society -3

4.548

1130

4.025

Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series -4

3.749

1000

3.749

Annual Review of Astronomy & Astrophysics -1

15.067

4500

3.348

Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand

0.927

300

3.090

Astronomy & Astrophysics -12

2.252

813

2.770

Solar Physics -9

2.757

1200

2.298

Revista mexicana de astronomía y astrofísica -15 (controlled circ)

1.722

800

2.153

Advances in Space Research : the Official journal of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) -28

0.521

260

2.004

Astronomische Nachrichten -26

0.600

300

2.000

Astronomy and Astrophysics Review -22

0.875

450

1.944

Space Science Reviews -13

2.116

1200

1.763

Astronomical Journal -6

2.876

1750

1.643

IAU Symposia -25

0.627

400

1.568

Annual Review of Earth & Planetary Science -2

5.333

4000

1.333

Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA

10.260

8500

1.207

Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

2.400

2000

1.200

Proceedings [of the Royal Society of London. Series A], Mathematical, physical and engineering sciences

1.446

1400

1.033

Philosophical transactions [of the Royal Society of London. Series A], Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences

1.416

1436

0.986

Annals of the New York Academy of Science

0.964

1000

0.964

Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan -17

1.396

1635

0.854

Astrophysical Journal -10

2.543

3000

0.848

Planetary and Space Science -21

0.905

1250

0.724

Experimental Astronomy -31

0.397

610

0.651

Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy -29

0.511

850

0.601

Nature

29.491

55613

0.530

Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific -18

1.314

3000

0.438

Observatory -32

0.388

1000

0.388

Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy -33

0.286

800

0.358

Astrophysics and Space Science -34

0.275

775

0.355

CR Acad SCI III-VIE

0.617

3200

0.193

Science

24.595

160000

0.154

Current Science (India)

0.567

4000

0.142

Astronomy & Geophysics : the journal of the Royal Astronomical Society -30

0.403

3700

0.109

Endeavour

0.764

10000

0.076

IBM Journal of Research & Development

1.425

25000

0.057

American Scientist

1.692

103000

0.016

Scientist

0.541

53000

0.010

New Scientist

0.635

100923

0.006

Scientific American

1.711

637528

0.003