Publication in scientometric databases is an important step in a researcher's career development, as it affects not only the visibility of the published article but also the reputation of the researcher. Therefore, you should take a responsible approach to choosing a platform for publication. In addition to reputable databases such as Scopus and Web of Science, there are also dubious resources that can negatively affect the researcher's further promotion. In this article, we will review which databases should be avoided and why they are dangerous for a researcher's career.
Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI)
The Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI) – is a bibliometric database of scientific publications created in Russia. Although it is a fairly popular platform in the Russian-language segment, its reputation among the international scientific community is rather questionable.
There are a number of reasons why the RSCI is not considered an authoritative database, including:
- Low inclusion criteria. This is one of the main problems of dubious scientometric databases. In order to ensure that the level of journals that receive indexing is high, the database must conduct a strict selection of candidates. Unlike platforms such as Scopus or Web of Science, the RSCI has much lower requirements for journal inclusion. This leads to the fact that the database may contain publications with low quality peer review and dubious scientific reputation, which negatively affects the value of publications for a researcher's career.
- Lack of international recognition. The RSCI, unlike Scopus and Web of Science, is not an internationally recognised database. This means that publications in journals indexed by this platform are usually not taken into account when assessing scientific activity according to international standards.
- Predatory journals. The RSCI is known for the fact that a significant number of its indexed journals are predatory. These are publications that have low standards of peer review, promise quick publication for a fee, and their goal is not to develop science, but to make money. The presence of such journals reduces the credibility of the database and makes it difficult to identify truly high-quality research.
- Limited geography. The database mostly indexes Russian-language publications. This is the reason why foreign audiences have limited access to scientific literature.
- Questionable quality of peer review. The quality of peer review of articles in journals indexed in the RSCI can vary considerably. This is due to the lack of uniform review standards for all journals included in the database.
Index Copernicus
Index Copernicus – is a scientometric database created in Poland in 1999. It provides information about research institutions, publications, and projects, allowing for the assessment of their impact. It is named after the famous Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. The database indexes journals from various scientific disciplines and evaluates them using its own index (Index Copernicus Value).
Like the RSCI, Index Copernicus does not have the best reputation. The database has been heavily criticised by experts in the scientific community, including Jeffrey Beall (an American librarian and library scientist), for its suspicious evaluation methodology and high risk of including predatory journals. Unethical practices, such as paid indexing acceleration options and questionable evaluation criteria, have led a number of university libraries to recommend that researchers avoid journals with IC scores.
Why Index Copernicus is criticised:
- Low requirements for journal selection. Compared to such reputable databases as Scopus or Web of Science, Index Copernicus has less stringent criteria for including journals. This leads to the fact that the database may contain publications with low quality peer review or even so-called ‘predatory journals’.
- Questionable methodology for calculating indicators. The way in which Index Copernicus calculates the impact of scientific journals (Index Copernicus Value) is not transparent and raises many questions. Critics argue that the methodology is not sufficiently sound and may lead to overestimation of the indicators.
- Lack of international recognition. Index Copernicus is not an internationally recognised database. This means that publications in journals indexed in this database are not always taken into account when assessing scientific activity according to international standards.
- Possibility of manipulation. There is a risk that some journals may ‘inflate’ their Index Copernicus scores, which distorts the real picture of their impact.
Publishing scientific articles is an important step in every researcher's career. It is necessary for obtaining academic degrees, career advancement, successful certification, obtaining grants and other professional achievements. However, publishing articles in databases with a dubious reputation can have a negative impact on a research career, reducing the authority and trust of colleagues. That is why it is important to carefully choose a platform for publication.
"Scientific Publications" will help you choose a reliable database for your publication. We guarantee high quality services and ongoing support in the process. Fill out the form below, and our manager will contact you shortly. Together to new scientific achievements!
