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CiteScore: risk of copy-cat, fake and misleading metrics

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  • Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva

    (Independent researcher)

Abstract

The Elsevier (Scopus) CiteScore is an increasingly popular journal-based metric (JBM) that is rapidly gaining popularity over its once decades-dominant JBM, Clarivate Analytics’ Journal Impact Factor (JIF). CiteScore, which is currently assigned to over 41,000 Scopus-indexed journals or other sources, faces a risk that does not seem to have yet been discussed, namely its “hijacking” to create a copy-cat or misleading metric. The JIF is already famously suffering this phenomenon in “predatory” open access publishing, but predators in the realm of academic publishing are constantly seeking ways to expand their “prey” base, i.e., authors. The use of fake metrics, or copy-cat metrics, that give the impression of a famed JBM or other metric, like the JIF or CiteScore, are created in an attempt to lure unsuspecting academics—who might erroneously associate a metric as a “quality” parameter—to their journals. It would not be surprising to see the emergence of copy-cat CiteScore-like metrics emerging. Academics, editors and publishers need to be vigilant.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva, 2021. "CiteScore: risk of copy-cat, fake and misleading metrics," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(2), pages 1859-1862, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:126:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1007_s11192-020-03791-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-020-03791-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Meho, Lokman I., 2019. "Using Scopus’s CiteScore for assessing the quality of computer science conferences," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 419-433.
    2. Erwin Krauskopf, 2020. "Sources without a CiteScore value: more clarity is required," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 122(3), pages 1801-1812, March.
    3. Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva & Aceil Al-Khatib & Panagiotis Tsigaris, 2020. "Spam emails in academia: issues and costs," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 122(2), pages 1171-1188, February.
    4. Hilary I. Okagbue & Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva, 2020. "Correlation between the CiteScore and Journal Impact Factor of top-ranked library and information science journals," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(1), pages 797-801, July.
    5. Mingkun Wei, 2020. "Research on impact evaluation of open access journals," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 122(2), pages 1027-1049, February.
    6. Andrea Cortegiani & Andrea Manca & Manoj Lalu & David Moher, 2020. "Inclusion of predatory journals in Scopus is inflating scholars’ metrics and advancing careers," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 65(1), pages 3-4, January.
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