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JIF-Plots: using plots of citations versus citable items as a tool to study journals and subject categories and discover new scientometric relationships

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Abstract

In this article JIF-Plots are used to complement the information provided in the Web of Science and to study relationships among journals. These plots can be obtained easily by representing journals as points in a two-dimensional space defined by the citations (y-axis) and citable items (x-axis) used to compute the journal impact factor (JIF). The slope of the line from the origin to the point representing the journal is the JIF. The use of JIF-Plots is illustrated with different subject categories and journals, and with the JIF obtained with a 2-year and a 5-year window. The distribution of journals according to different distances illustrates new scientometric relationships. JIF-Plots can also be used to study and compare the temporal evolution of different journals in terms of JIF, citations and citable items. This tool is straightforward to implement and its powerful visual impact can help elucidate relationships among journals from a new viewpoint.

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Acknowledgements

I thank K. Shashok for improving the use of English in the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Mathematics, University of Alcala, Edificio de Ciencias, 28871, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain

    Juan Miguel Campanario

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  1. Juan Miguel Campanario
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Correspondence to Juan Miguel Campanario.

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Campanario, J.M. JIF-Plots: using plots of citations versus citable items as a tool to study journals and subject categories and discover new scientometric relationships. Scientometrics 113, 1141–1154 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-017-2506-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-017-2506-8

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