The presence of a journal in Web of Science does not mean that it will remain in the database indefinitely. Scientific journals change: they update their editorial boards, expand their scope, move to other publishers or increase the number of published materials. Therefore, Clarivate continues to monitor journals even after their inclusion in the Web of Science Core Collection. What might be the reasons for journals being removed from Web of Science? We will discuss this in our article.
How does Web of Science monitor journal quality?
To evaluate journals, Clarivate uses 28 criteria: 24 quality criteria and 4 impact criteria. The quality criteria concern not only the content of scientific articles, but also the work of the editorial team, peer review, publishing ethics, the composition of the editorial board, author representation, the correspondence of publications to the journal’s stated scope and other aspects of its activities.
After a journal has been included in the database, its compliance with these requirements may be reviewed again. A re-evaluation may be prompted by the results of Clarivate’s internal monitoring, the work of Web of Science editors or substantiated reports from users and representatives of the scientific community.
Why might a journal be removed from Web of Science?
The reason usually does not lie in one particular indicator, but in the fact that the publication ceases to meet the requirements under which it was previously included in the database. Among the factors that may lead to a repeated review and subsequent discontinuation of indexing are the following:
- Problems with the quality of peer review. Published materials must demonstrate proper editorial oversight and undergo effective peer review. Signs of problems may include, in particular, insufficient scientific substantiation of articles, publication of materials outside the journal’s scope or irrelevant citations.
- Failure to comply with the principles of publication ethics. A journal must have clear ethical policies and adhere to generally accepted standards of academic integrity and research ethics.
- A discrepancy between the stated scope and the actual publications. The content of articles must correspond to the title, aims and thematic profile of the publication. This also applies to special issues.
- Problems with editorial policy or the composition of the editorial board. Clarivate evaluates the professional standing, affiliations and composition of the editorial board, as well as the extent to which they correspond to the journal’s scope and volume of publications.
- Doubts regarding the reliability of information about the journal. Information on the website, details about editors and the publisher, peer-review rules and other stated policies must be up to date and correspond to the actual operation of the publication.
- Problems with technical interaction with Web of Science. The publisher must inform Clarivate in a timely manner about significant changes, including a change of publisher, journal title, website or publication frequency. Failure to provide timely notification may result in the discontinuation of indexing.
- Another reason may be the actual discontinuation of the journal or a prolonged interruption in its publication. Clarivate states that if it does not receive new content from a publication for 24 months and is unable to restore communication with its representatives, a procedure to remove the journal from indexing for production-related reasons may be initiated.
What does On Hold status mean?
If substantiated questions regarding the quality of a journal arise during monitoring, Clarivate may begin a re-evaluation. In such a case, the publication may be marked with the status On Hold in the Master Journal List. This status does not mean that the journal has already been permanently removed from Web of Science. It indicates that the publication is undergoing a re-evaluation. While the review is in progress, new journal content is not indexed. After the review is completed, there are two main possible outcomes:
- if the journal continues to meet the quality criteria, its indexing is maintained, and content missed during the review may be added to the database
- if the publication no longer meets the established requirements, it is removed from the Web of Science Core Collection, and new materials from it are no longer indexed
In the most serious cases of breaches of editorial standards, Clarivate also reserves the right to remove previously indexed content from Web of Science.
Can a journal lose its indexing because of declining citation indicators?
If a journal in SCIE, SSCI or AHCI no longer meets the impact criteria, Clarivate may move it to the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI). In this case, the journal does not disappear from the Web of Science Core Collection – only the index in which it is represented changes. For complete removal from the Core Collection, failure to meet the quality criteria is of fundamental importance. Therefore, a decline in citations alone should not automatically be regarded as a sign that a journal will soon lose its indexing.
The choice of a journal for a scientific article should be considered not only in terms of its current scientometric indicators. A stable editorial policy, transparent peer review, responsible work by the publisher and compliance with international standards of scientific communication are no less important. That is why checking the current status of a publication immediately before submitting an article helps an author to better assess potential risks and make an informed decision regarding publication.
Need help choosing a journal for publication? The specialists at Scientific Publications will check the current status of the publication in Web of Science and help you select a journal that matches the profile of your research. To receive a free consultation, complete the form below, and our manager will contact you shortly. Onwards to new scientific achievements!
