5 Databases and Research Metrics 5.1. Indexing databases 5.2. Citation databases: Web of Science, Scopus etc. 5.3. Impact Factor of journal as per Journal Citation Report, SNIP, SJR, IPP, Cite Score 5.4. Metrics: h-index, g index, i10 index 5

5 Databases and Research Metrics
5.1. Indexing databases
5.2. Citation databases: Web of Science, Scopus etc.
5.3. Impact Factor of journal as per Journal Citation Report, SNIP, SJR, IPP, Cite Score
5.4. Metrics: h-index, g index, i10 index 5

1. Databases and Research
Metrics: Navigating the
Scholarly Landscape
A World-Class Guide for Researchers in India

2. Agenda: Understanding Indexing, Citation, and Key
Metrics
Indexing Databases
The fundamental tools for discovering published research.
Citation Databases
Focus on Web of Science and Scopus, the gold standards.
Journal Metrics
Evaluating journal influence through JCR Impact Factor, SNIP,
SJR, and CiteScore.
Author Metrics
Delving into h-index, g-index, and i10-index for individual
researcher evaluation.
Application & Best
Practices
Strategies for using these metrics effectively in the Indian
research ecosystem.

3. Indexing Databases: Your Gateway to Published
Research
Indexing databases systematically collect, organise, and classify scholarly articles, making them
discoverable through keywords, authors, and subjects. They are essential for literature review and verifying
a journal's credibility.
Key Functions:
Discovery: Quickly locate relevant articles.
Quality Assurance: Inclusion in respected indexes signals peer-review standards.
Verification: Confirming a journal's status for career progression.

4. Citation Databases: Exploring Web of
Science, Scopus, and more
Citation databases go beyond simple indexing. They track the relationships between articles—who cites
whom—to provide powerful tools for research evaluation.
Web of Science
(Clarivate)
Highly selective collection of
high-impact journals.
Known for the Journal
Citation Report (JCR) and
the original Impact Factor.
Scopus (Elsevier)
Broader coverage
including peer-reviewed
literature, trade journals,
and conference
proceedings. Known for
CiteScore and other
advanced metrics.
Google Scholar
Free, vast coverage across
the web. Excellent for
discovery, but less curated
for formal metric analysis.

5. Journal Impact Factor (JCR): A
Deeper Dive into Journal
Influence
The Impact Factor is the average number of times articles published in
the journal during the past two years have been cited in the JCR year.
Calculated Annually
Provided exclusively by Clarivate's
Journal Citation Reports (JCR) and
is a primary metric used in many
academic institutions globally,
including in India, for journal
quality assessment.
Considered
Controversial
The IF can be influenced by review
article frequency and self-citation
practices. Always interpret it
alongside other quality indicators.

6. Beyond Impact Factor: SNIP, SJR, IPP, and CiteScore
Explained
Modern research evaluation uses a suite of metrics to provide a more holistic view of journal quality, often correcting for disciplinary differences.
SNIP (Source Normalized Impact per
Paper)
Weights citations based on the total number of citations in a
subject field. This helps in comparing journals across different
disciplines.
SJR (SCImago Journal
Rank)
Measures journal influence by calculating the 'prestige' of the
citing journals. Citations from higher-ranked journals contribute
more weight.
IPP (Impact per
Publication)
Similar to the 2-year IF, but calculated using the Scopus database
and forms the basis for SNIP.
CiteScore (Scopus)
Calculated over a three-year window, measuring the average
number of citations received by articles published in that journal
during the previous three full years.

7. Author-Level Metrics: Introducing
the h-index
The h-index quantifies both the productivity and citation impact of a scholar's
publications. It is perhaps the most widely used metric for individual academic
performance.
1
Definition
An author has an index of h if h of their papers have at least h citations each,
and the other papers have fewer than h citations.
2
Interpretation
A high h-index indicates a sustained publication record and significant
influence within the field.
3
Data Sources
Calculated by Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, often yielding
different values due to varying database coverage.

8. Further Author Metrics: Understanding the g-index
and i10-index
These metrics address some of the h-index's limitations, particularly its sensitivity to highly cited outlier papers.
g-index
The g-index is the largest number such that the top g papers have,
on average, g² citations. It gives more credit to highly cited papers
than the h-index.
i10-index
Used primarily by Google Scholar, the i10-index is simply the
number of publications an author has that have received at least 10
citations. It is a straightforward measure of productive influence.

9. Choosing the Right Metrics: Context and Best
Practices
No single metric should be used in isolation. The most appropriate metrics depend on the purpose of the evaluation.
Promotion/Hiring
Focus on h-index, overall citation
count, and journal quartile ranking
(Q1/Q2).
Journal Selection
Use Impact Factor (JCR), CiteScore,
SNIP, and SJR to gauge influence and
disciplinary relevance.
Grant Applications
Emphasise h-index and the number of
publications in high-impact journals
to demonstrate research capability.
Inter-Disciplinary
Prefer normalized metrics like SNIP
and SJR for fair comparison across
different fields.

10. Key Takeaways & Best Practices for Researchers
in India
Focus on publishing quality work in indexed journals rather than chasing metrics alone. Quality drives impact.
Maintain a Consistent
Profile
Ensure your profiles (ORCID, Scopus ID, Google
Scholar) are updated and consistent to accurately
track your metrics.
Understand Database
Coverage
Be aware that Scopus covers a broader range, which
may inflate citation counts compared to the more
selective Web of Science.
Prioritise Q1/Q2
Journals
Indian institutions often place high value on
journals ranked in the top two quartiles (Q1/Q2) by
JCR or Scopus for appointments and funding.
Adopt a Multimetric
Approach
Use h-index, i10-index, and journal metrics (IF,
CiteScore) together to present a comprehensive
picture of your scholarly output.

11. Thank you