Relationship between an editor in chief’s commentary publications and the impact factor of cardiovascular medicine journals

Authors

  • Alex Salazar Department of Health and Exercise Science Wake Forest University
  • Michael Joseph Berry Department of Health and Exercise Science Wake Forest University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5798-1861

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2021.1145

Keywords:

impact factor, Eigenfactor, editorial comment, cardiology

Abstract

Journal impact factor (IF) inflation is suggested as a problem resulting from commentaries published by the editors in chief (EiCs) of their respective journals. However, it is unclear whether this is a systemic problem across the top thirty cardiovascular medicine journals. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationship between the number of commentaries written by an EiC and their journal’s IF and Eigenfactor (Ef). Utilizing Spearman rank partial correlations controlling for length of service as the EiC, significant moderate correlations were found between the number of commentaries and the number of first-author commentaries by the EiC and the IF of their journal (r=0.568, p=0.001 and r=0.504, p=0.005; respectively). A weak but still significant correlation was found between the number of commentaries by the EiC and the Ef of their journal (r=0.431, p=0.020). The reason for these correlations is unclear, and whether the methodology used to compute the IF and Ef should be modified needs further research.

Author Biography

Michael Joseph Berry, Department of Health and Exercise Science Wake Forest University

Dr. Michael Berry is a Professor of Health and Exercise Science at Wake Forest University.

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Published

2021-10-05

Issue

Section

Original Investigation