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Matthew Adams › Research Services Librarian

SCImago (officially known as SCImago Journal & Country Rank) uses data from Scopus to assign a SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) to over 30,000 journal titles in more than 300 subject categories. Journals are ranked based on scores calculated using a sophisticated metric that measures journal prestige based on citation patterns. Researchers can use this information to assess the credibility of journals in their subject area, to compare research publications, and to make informed decisions about which sources to use in their research.

Understanding SJR Values

The SJR is calculated using citations received over a three-year period. 

The average SJR is set at 1.0. This means that:

• Journals with SJR values greater than 1.0 have above-average citation potential and prestige.
• Journals with SJR values less than 1.0 have below-average citation potential​.

Quartile Rankings

SCImago organizes journals into quartiles within each subject category, making it easy to identify the highest-quality journals in your field.

• Q1 = Top 25% of journals (most prestigious)
• Q2 = 26-50%
• Q3 = 51-75%
• Q4 = Bottom 25%

Finding Journals in Your Subject

You can search and filter journals by major subject areas and by more than 300 specific subject categories.

1. Visit the SCImago website.

2. Click on "Journal Rankings" at the top of the page​.

3. Select your subject area from the drop-down menu (e.g., Business, Management & Accounting)​.

4. Choose a more specific subject category if desired (e.g., Marketing).

5. Filter by additional criteria, such as Country or Year.

6. Click 'Apply' to update the results.

The results will display journals ranked by their SJR value, showing you the most prestigious publications in your field.​

Investigating a Specific Journal

If you've found a journal article and want to evaluate the quality of the journal it's published in:

1. Use the search box on the SCImago homepage.

2. Enter the journal title.

3. Click on the journal name to access its individual profile page.​

The journal profile provides detailed information, including SJR and quartile ranking.

Additional Support

For guidance on using SCImago in support of publishing or open access, please contact me.​

If you need help using SCImago to evaluate academic sources for your research, please contact your librarian.

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