Evaluating the impact of journals in the ceramic sciences

Abstract

This article examines various methods for evaluating the impact of journals in the ceramic sciences, including the H-index, journal impact factor (JIF), and the recently introduced MZE-index (defined by Montazerian-Zanotto-Eckert). We evaluate the performance of 31 reputable journals in ceramic science and technology and find that the JIF and H-index (which correlate to prolificacy and visibility) rise in tandem with the number of documents (N) each journal publishes. As an alternative metric, the MZE-index is used to distinguish the journals that stand at, above, or below the average of the field. It aids in better understanding the reputation and visibility of the journals relative to their peers by providing a fairer comparison of journals with different publication records and citation patterns and allowing for a more accurate comparison of their visibility compared to the average of the field. We also argue that beyond the commonly used JIF and H indices, other bibliometric indicators like MZE and peer review based on a journal's established reputation are necessary to determine their quality and choose them as the publication venue.