In the highly competitive world of science, evaluation metrics have become common. However, the ways in which these rankings and indices are used can have adverse effects on both individuals (especially young scientists) and academic society.
For example, a researcher’s h-index can be negatively impacted by taking time off for parental leave or by publishing in low impact factor journals.
Impact
Journal rankings are used to rank journals in many subject areas. The highest-ranked journals (Q1 in JCR terms) are often viewed as prestigious.
In practice, this leads scientists to submit their work to high-ranking journals only or to avoid publishing in lower-ranked ones. This can distort scientific communication and lead to misinterpretation of research results.
It can also deprive specialized and/or non-English journals of submissions, which can negatively impact their ranking. The reliance on these rankings also creates reviewer fatigue, which may slow down the process and reduce publication quality. This can affect all scientists, including early-career researchers whose careers may depend on the quality of their publications.
Originality & Novelty
Imagine a sea of academic publications, ranging from those with immense influence to those that cater to a niche audience. Journal quartiles function like lighthouses, marking the reach and influence of each paper in this vast ocean.
Suppose your research delves into the neural mechanisms underlying decision-making. A high citation potential score positions your study as a vital component of ongoing scholarly conversations in cognitive neuroscience, psychology and AI.
A high experimental design score indicates that your research is reliable, demonstrating the ability for fellow researchers to replicate your work with ease. This level of transparency and rigor positions your study in Journals Q1.
Relevance & Alignment
In the vast sea of academic journals, some shine brighter than others. They shape ongoing scholarly conversations, inspire further research, and influence policy decisions.
Journal quartiles—those seemingly cryptic labels like Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4—function as lighthouses, pointing researchers to the best and brightest publications within their subject category. When your work lands in a Q1 journal, it blazes a trail that attracts scholars, policymakers, and practitioners, increasing its potential for impact.
Imagine your study unravels the mysteries of quantum entanglement. Its clarity and writing style earn it a high score in relevance and alignment, propelling it to Q1 status. But if your research is jargon-heavy and obscure, it may land in a Q3 journal instead.
Methodology & Rigor
Journal rankings have the potential to distort academic research by encouraging scholars to produce work that is easier for a reviewer to evaluate. This can lead to a tendency to write more review articles and to use existing data from other sources rather than collecting new field data.
As a result, the number of reviews and the time required to read them may increase, leading to an overload of work for individual reviewers. This could also cause a reduction in the quality of reviewed papers because reviewers may become fatigued and are unable to properly assess work with complex methodologies. This would be particularly the case for journals whose reviewers are predominantly English speakers.
Clarity & Writing Style
Imagine you’re researching the impact of urban green spaces on stress reduction. A high interdisciplinary impact score emerges when your work bridges the domains of biology and computational science, as well as the societal domain of urban planning. This multi-faceted influence aligns with Q1 journals that champion interdisciplinary exploration. Conversely, a less substantial influence might result in a lower score that positions your research within Q3 or Q4 journals.
Consider a study delving into the neural mechanisms of decision-making. A high literature review score means that your paper extensively examines and synthesizes existing research on both AI and education, situating it in Q1 or Q2 journals. A low score indicates a more limited understanding of the existing literature, positioning your study in Q3 or Q4 journals.
Experimental Design
Choosing the right journal quartile is like selecting the stage for your research’s performance. Your paper’s impact and potential to shift the field hinge on its context.
For instance, suppose your study on AI reveals insights that significantly influence multiple disciplines. Your work’s high score in significance/contribution signals its transformative nature and aligns with Q1 journals.
Similarly, your replicability/transparency score reflects your study’s meticulous detailing of methodologies and data sources, bolstering its credibility and fit for Q1 journals. On the other hand, your low score in literature review indicates a limited examination of existing research and makes it more appropriate for Q3 journals.



