Before considering publishing in a journal from international databases, it is important to verify whether it is Scopus and/or Web of Science indexed. This stage can play an important role in the publication process, as it affects the fulfilment of the researcher's scientific goals. Also, journal indexing information is often not updated on the official journal page on time, especially in case of predatory publishing. Therefore, it is essential to carefully examine the journal before submitting an article and check the indexing in Scopus/Web of Science. We will give a step-by-step guide on how to do this.
What is journal indexing?
In the scientometric world, the term 'indexing' implies that a journal has passed the relevant requirements for entry into a particular database. This is how a journal proves the quality of its research material and its authority for listing in, for example, Scopus or Web of Science.
How to find out if a journal is listed in Scopus?
Note that it is actually possible to check indexing in Scopus through Scopus Preview, a free mode that allows access to the database.
- Using the "Sources" function, the user can search for a source by its title. As an example, let's look at Teikyo Medical Journal, discontinued from indexing as a result of the most up-to-date Scopus check. We recommend using the ISSN search, as it limits the options available for display and allows learning the relevant information about a particular journal. Enter ISSN: 0387-5547. As can be seen, 1 search option is listed, precisely the journal we are interested in.
- Open the journal page in Scopus, where you can see the "Scopus coverage years" column. For example, the Teikyo Medical Journal was indexed in the database from 1990 to 2019. But such information alone does not necessarily indicate discontinuation of indexing. For more information, see the "Scopus content coverage" tab. There, data is available on what material has been indexed and what year it was published.
What is meant by the discontinuation of coverage in Scopus?
Please note that only the label "coverage discontinued in Scopus" indicates that the journal has been 100% removed from the database.
The label "to Present" or "to date" in the Scopus content coverage column indicates that the publication continues to be indexed in the database.
It is also worth highlighting that in recent years the Scopus database has become more active in excluding journals. Now updates are released on a monthly basis. Therefore, it is important to check regularly for up-to-date information on discontinuation, as sometimes an excluded journal's status may not change for several days. Specialists need some time to update the information in the database.
Therefore, it is recommended to monitor the information on Scopus coverage:
How to check if a journal is Web of Science indexed?
Web of Science indexing can similarly be verified without access to the full version of the database, via the Master Journal List.
- Search the publication data (we also recommend searching by ISSN). If the information about the journal is displayed in Exact Match Found, it is indexed in Web of Science.
- If the journal is not indexed in the Web of Science, information about it will not be displayed in the Master Journal List.
If you have any questions, please contact the specialists at Scientific Publications. We focus on providing comprehensive support at all stages of the publication process, from the audit of the article, determining the degree of revision required, to indexing the article in the Scopus/Web of Science database. Our experts pay particular attention to the selection of a journal for publication, checking its indexation, scientometric indicators and compliance with the author's subject.
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