Journal of Basic and Environmental Sciences

Journal Metrics / Impact Factor

Alternative Impact Factor

This explanation is based on that presented at: www.scirp.org/journal/Journalcitationdetails.aspx?JournalID=473

Several journal metrics are calculated. The first metric is an alternative impact factor which is based on Google Scholar's citation count.

The journal impact factor (JIF) normally referred to is the proprietary journal impact factor from Thomson Reuters calculated based on the Web of Science (WOS) and published in the Journal Citation Reports® (JCR). We call this the JCR®JIF. DOAJ writes: "There is only one official, universally recognised impact factor that is generated by Thomson Reuters; it is a proprietary measure run by a profit making organisation. It runs against the ethics and principles of open access." This journal has no JCR®JIF, but an alternative Google-based impact factor.

Today 57 % of readers find their way to Journal of Basic and Environmental Sciences (JBES)'s articles via Google Scholar. No open or proprietary database is directing so many readers to JBES articles. Google Scholar is the only openly available database suitable for journal metric calculation. It has a wide coverage and is a meaningful source. For this reason, JBES is calculating its own Impact Factor based on Google Scholar's citation counts. Scientists are used to Thomson Reuters' way of calculating an impact factor. For this reason, JBES applies Thomson Reuters'(TR) algorithm as published on wokinfo.com/essays/impact-factor in Figure 1. This algorithm is not protected and can be used by anyone. In short: JBES calculates a 2-year Google-based Journal Impact Factor (2-GJIF).  

With respect to all articles from this journal for the respective year:

A = number of articles published in 2014-2017 = 71
B = number of citations in 2018= 53
GJIF for 2016= IF = B/A = 53/71 = 0.746 (TR algorithm, Google citations, data January 2018)