vaikutuskertoimia

Vaikutuskertoimet, known in English as impact factors, are a type of bibliometric indicator used to measure the relative importance of a journal. They are calculated by Clarivate Analytics and published annually in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR). The impact factor for a journal is determined by dividing the number of citations received by a journal in a given year to articles published in that journal during the preceding two years by the total number of citable articles published in that same two-year period. For example, the 2022 impact factor of a journal would be calculated as follows: (number of 2022 citations to articles published in 2020 and 2021) / (total number of citable articles published in 2020 and 2021).

Impact factors are often used by researchers, librarians, and funding agencies to evaluate the prestige and influence of academic journals. A higher impact factor generally suggests that a journal's articles are cited more frequently, indicating greater influence within its field. However, impact factors are not without their criticisms. They can be influenced by various factors, such as the specific field of study, the review policies of a journal, and self-citation. Critics argue that impact factors do not always accurately reflect the quality of individual research articles and can lead to a focus on high-impact journals at the expense of others. Despite these limitations, impact factors remain a widely used metric in academic publishing.