Best Russian Journals to Go on Web of Science
On September 25 a presentation of the Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI), of which HSE is a partner, took place. The purpose of the project is to integrate Russian academic journals into the international exchange network of scientific information. RSCI has listed 1000 journals, based on bibliometric indicators and expert reviews, to go on the Web of Science platform.
Why we need the RSCI
There are two institutions used to assess the quality of academic journals and publishing activity levels in Russia - the list of journals of the Higher Attestation Commission (VAK) and the database of the Russian index of academic citations (RINTS). Both lists have been subject to considerable criticism and being on them is no guarantee of the quality of a journal. At the same time, a journal’s appearance on the either VAK on RINTS is not just a formality. For example, many regulatory documents on measuring standards in Russian research centres and universities refer to RINTS.
Constructed on the basis of RINTS and VAK, the Russian Science Citation Index will include journals which are checked assiduously for quality and quantity. Putting RSCI on the Web of Science platform (one of the world’s most extensive databases of academic citations) will give Russian journals a higher profile in the global information space.
How the 1000 best are chosen
There are two stages to the compilation of the RSCI list. First, journals are checked against the relevant formal criteria. A specially created expert group including specialists from different research fields will propose a method to estimate bibliometric indicators used to select journals. In the second stage, journals which have been selected will undergo qualitative analysis by recognised experts in the field.
The authors of the project suggest that a wider circle of academics could be brought in to discuss the list of journals if they are registered in the Science Index and have a certain number of publications and citations on the themes of the journals being evaluated.
Strict deadlines has been drawn up for the RSCI to be set up. The first 400 participating journals will be entered in January 2015 and in April RSCI will be included in Web of Science, while the list from 1000 best journals should be confirmed in December 2015.
Who are the judges?
The RSCI project is supported by Thomson Reuters (the owners of Web of Science). Anatoly Grigoriev, vice-president of the Russian Academy of Sciences is director of the project’s working group and HSE’s first deputy Rector Leonid Gokhberg, Director of ISSEK is deputy chairman.
The HSE will become one of the main expert centres, discussing issues on the methodology of assessing and selecting journals for the RSCI. It was chosen because the university has devised its own systems in scientometrics and bibliometrics.
The RSCI project organisers have planned a series of seminars for Russian academic journal editors. The first one will be at the HSE on October 14.
Topics for discussion: how the project will be put into practice, principles and criteria for the selection of journals, ethical issues on academic publishing, the role of professionals and public associations in improving quality, etc.
Oleg Seregin, HSE News Service
See also:
The New RSCI List Now Includes 887 Journals
The Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI) quality assessment and journal selection working group based on Web of Science has completed its updates to the RSCI list. The group particularly considered journals that submitted 219 initiative applications last year. The updated list includes 87 new journals, with 2 journals having been excluded.
Moscow Mathematical Journal Named Most Influential Russian Journal in Mathematics of 2017
The recipients of the annual Web of Science Awards are the most influential scientists, scientific organizations and publications of the year. The Moscow Mathematical Journal has made it into the top quartile in the subject area of mathematics and was announced by jury members to be the most influential Russian scientific journal of 2017.
HSE Acknowledged as Most Cited Russian University in 2016
Clarivate Analytics (formerly Thomson Reuters Intellectual Property & Science business) has awarded the most influential Russian researchers and research centres.
29
was the number of additional subject areas covered by HSE researchers’ articles that were published in Web of Science journals in 2014.
Your Chance to Pick the Brains of International Academic Journal Chief Editors at HSE Conference Session
On the 28th May at the ‘Analytical communities in policy advisory systems at global and local level: comparative analysis of policy impact’ international conference there will be a special ‘journals’ session. The editors of four major international journals on public policy will explain how they select articles for publication and give advice on how to present your work to improve the chances of getting it published in a good journal.
Foresight-Russia: Call for Papers
The scientific journal Foresight-Russia is issuing a call for papers. The editors invite all types of empirical or analytical studies, simulations or modeling exercises, conceptional papers, case studies (e.g. foremost foresight exercises in other countries).
‘Innovation: Superpowered invention’ by Leonid Gokhberg and Dirk Meissner published in Nature
In the article the scientists compare accounts on the trajectory of innovation in Russia and the USA.
Two-hundredth Working Paper Published
A working paper is a form of preliminary publication that makes it possible to quickly present for discussion among the academic community the results of the latest research. On September 5, the HSE Basic Research Programme issued its 200th working paper.