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The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) 85:2449-2454 (2003)
© 2003 The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.

Current Concepts Review

Understanding the Limitations of the Journal Impact Factor

Andrew P. Kurmis, PhD1

1 Orthopaedic Research Unit, Repatriation General Hospital, Daws Road, Daw Park, South Australia 5041, Australia. E-mail address: andrew.kurmis{at}flinders.edu.au

Investigation performed at the Orthopaedic Research Unit, Repatriation General Hospital, South Australia, Australia

The author did not receive grants or outside funding in support of his research or preparation of this manuscript. He did not receive payments or other benefits or a commitment or agreement to provide such benefits from a commercial entity. No commercial entity paid or directed, or agreed to pay or direct, any benefits to any research fund, foundation, educational institution, or other charitable or nonprofit organization with which the author is affiliated or associated.

The impact factor, a simple mathematical formula reflecting the number of citations of a journal's material divided by the number of citable materials published by that same journal, has evolved to become one of the most influential tools in modern research and academia.

The impact factor can be influenced and biased (intentionally or otherwise) by many factors.

Extension of the impact factor to the assessment of journal quality or individual authors is inappropriate.

Extension of the impact factor to cross-discipline journal comparison is also inappropriate.

Those who choose to use the impact factor as a comparative tool should be aware of the nature and premise of its derivation and also of its inherent flaws and practical limitations.


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