EADI Journal Rating
by Filip Reynjens/Ton Dietz (EADI Ad Hoc committee on Journal Ranking)
The scientific world is very much dominated by assessments of scientific performance based on the ISI web of science. The scientific journals in that system are many, but rather biased in favour of US and UK journals using the English language. Due to ISI’s selection mechanism many ‘local’ journals (from Africa, Latin America, Asia and mainland Europe) and particularly those using other languages are often excluded.
In 2005 EADI adopted the system of social science journal rating that was developed and is being used by the Research School CERES, based in the Netherlands (the Research School for Resource Studies for Development, see ceres.fss.uu.nl > rating). This system does include the ISI system, but is much more inclusive. The system has a structure of five levels:
A ISI journals with highest impact in specified domains
B Other ISI journals
C Non-ISI journals which use a referee system
D Academic journals which do not use a referee system
E Non-academic journals
Particularly the C level includes many journals which are important for the development-oriented scholars, and for scientists in the South, but which are excluded by ISI. It is the intention of the EADI/CERES approach that all journals that are being used by development-oriented scientists will be included in the list, which in practice means a very broad spectrum of social science journals and related fields in the natural, medical and arts sciences. Particular attention is given to include journals published outside the 'anglo-saxon' realm, and journals published in 'the South'.
Each year before June there is a round of additions and corrections, prepared by a Publications Accreditation Committee and facilitated by the CERES office, and decided upon by the CERES board. In the course of the calendar year the updated version will be published on the websites of EADI and CERES.
In the first part of 2006 EADI members received a call on the EADI website to send suggestions for new journals and corrections (with motivation) to the Ceres office. Some EADI members indeed did so.
In 2006 the following changes have been prepared (and the 2006 list was adjusted following those changes; the new list is not yet ready for publication on the EADI and Ceres web, that will follow later during 2006):
- Two new domains have been added: education studies and psychology
- All journals on the 2005 list have been checked on referee/non-referee status (and hence ABC
versus D and E rating) by looking at their websites, where possible
- All ratings have been adjusted to the 2005-adjusted ISI lists
- Mistakes have been corrected
- Many journals have been added, based on responses by EADI, CERES, and other scientists and librarians.
The EADI/CERES list is restricted to journals only. CERES also has a list of rated publishers (also using the A-E rating system) and CERES uses a performance valuation tool based on the rating system for books and journals, and on a few additional variables. In 2007 CERES wants to do an evaluation of these three ingredients and would like to get input from EADI and other international scientific organizations as well.
We would like to invite you to join our efforts, both informally and formally. After publication of the 2006 additions on the website (probably before the end of 2006) we would like to receive your additions and corrections. Please send those to l.vantoledo(A)fss.uu.nl. Journals are our priority but you may also add publishers.
