Comparison of Spanish and Swedish Journals Indicators (Impact Factor and self-citation rate) in the JCR

Abstract

Geographical and social differences between two non-English language European countries (Spain and Sweden) attracted our attention to review the Impact Factors and self-citation rate of scientific journals published in Spain and Sweden. The study endeavours to compare the trend of citation and Impact Factor of all Spanish and Swedish journals indexed in the JCR throughout 2000-2005 and to show the difference between these two sets of journals. The analysis of data showed that there is a significant difference between the self-citing rate and the self-cited rate among the same set of journals in Spain as well as in Sweden throughout the period of study. The IF of Spanish journals in 2005 showed significant growth compared to the same set of journals in 2000. Such differences, however, were not found among Swedish journals. The comparison of Spanish journals to Swedish journals during 2000-2005 showed that the mean values of references per article in Spanish journals are higher than in Swedish journals. The mean values of references per article in Spanish journals are 40.82 and 49.39 respectively in the years 2000 and 2005, whereas the numbers of references per article in Swedish journals are 29.69 and 32.67 respectively. Another finding of this study is that 86% of Spanish journals in the year 2000 and 93% of them in 2005 had at least one or more citation to their own. This portion among Swedish journals is 79% in 2000 and 100% in 2005. The study further showed that the largest group in the self-citing group is that with the least self-cited rate less than 5%, which accounts for 25 journals (44%) from a total of 28 Spanish journals, the second largest group is the journals with a citing-rate from 5% to 10%. These two groups constitute 100% of the all 28 Spanish journals in 2000. In the term of self-cited rate the largest group is that with the self-cited rate higher than 20%. The largest group in the self-citing group among Swedish journals is that with the least self-cited rate, which is less than 5%, and accounts for 13 journals (68%) from all 19 journals, the second largest group is that with a citing-rate from 5% to 10%. These two groups constitute about 95% all 19 Swedish journals. In the self-cited group, the large groups are likewise the two mentioned groups. The largest group in the self-citing rate is that with self-cited rate less than 5%which account for 18 journals (60%) from a total of 28 Spanish journals, the second largest group is the journals with a citing-rate from 5% to 10%. These two groups constitute 93% of all 28 Spanish journals in the year 2005. The largest group in the column of self-cited among Spanish journals is that with self-cite rate of higher than 20%. The largest group in 2005 among Swedish journals in the self-cited group is that with self-cite rate from 5% to 10%. The largest group in the self-citing group are those with self-citing rates below 10%. There is no journal with a self-citing rate higher than 10% in this group in the year 2005.