How to find the impact factor of a journal through Google Scholar?
Google Scholar does not provide journal impact factor metrics directly. To ascertain a journal's impact factor or similar citation-based measure, alternative specialized bibliometric databases must be consulted.
The Impact Factor (IF) is primarily calculated and reported by Clarivate Analytics within its Journal Citation Reports (JCR), accessible via the Web of Science platform. Alternative metrics like CiteScore (Scopus) and Scimago Journal Rank (SJR) derive from Elsevier's Scopus database. Access typically requires institutional subscriptions. It is crucial to verify the source and version (e.g., JIF or CiteScore) of any reported metric and exercise caution against unverified claims or predatory journals using misleading "impact factors."
To determine a journal's impact factor using commonly accessible tools, first identify the journal's official website; this often links to its indexed metrics. If institutional access exists, consult JCR via Web of Science for the definitive Journal Impact Factor (JIF) listed under "Clarivate Analytics" sources, or search Scimago Journal & Country Rank for SJR and Scopus metrics. Always confirm the metric name and reporting year cited.
