As we previously informed our readers in the Notice of September 28, 2005, the 2004 Impact Factor for the Journal of Pharmacological Sciences (JPS), 0.234, was inaccurately announced by the Journal Citation Report (JCR) of the Thomson ISI.
To calculate the correct impact factor, the Editorial Board of JPS independently searched for the citation number (all citations in f04 articles from f03 JPS articles) on the WOS (Web of Science). The WOS database is also published by the Thomson ISI, but we used a different data source therein from that categorized for impact factor, and we found that the number of citations is actually 177, while the citation number announced by the JCR was 45.
Based on our searched value, the JPS impact factor is calculated (corrected
figure, underlined) to be as follows:
@@2004 Impact Factor of JPS: 0.994 = 177 ('04 citations from f03
JPS) / 178 ('03 JPS articles)
Furthermore, since we changed the name of our journal in 2003*, the data for
the two titles (former title and the present one) should be combined to calculate
the appropriate 2004 JJP/JPS impact factor:
@@@@[*former title: The Japanese Journal of Pharmacology
(Jpn J Pharmacol, JJP), ended in 2002]
@@2004 Impact Factor of JJP: 1.724 = 312 ('04 citations from f02 JJP) / 181
('02 JJP articles)
--> 2004 Impact Factor of JJP/JPS: 1.362
= (312+177) / (181+178)
We reported the data above to the JCR and asked them to retrieve the citation number again by any means available to them and confirm our corrected figures, but unfortunately we have heard nothing from them.
JCR has already recognized that its collecting system automatically identifies a part of the JPS articles with articles published in an American journal gJournal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (J Pharm Sci)h. Since 2004, they have already been aware that this inappropriate collection is due to the similar journal name and same volume numbers of both journals (volume numbers in 2003: J Pharmacol Sci: 91, 92, 93; J Pharm Sci: 91, 92). It is undoubtedly regrettable that JCR has not been modifying its system to avoid this kind of confusion over the past two-year period and appears not to intend to give us the corrected values and assurance for the forthcoming 2005 data.
Viewed under these conditions, the JPS Editorial Board must consider that the data corrected by us shown above are the grealh ones. Although this correction is not officially authorized by the JCR, we would strongly ask our authors and readers to adopt the corrected impact factor (1.362), when they cite or report the 2004 JJP/JPS impact factor.
We would appreciate your kind understanding of the decision we have made and continuous interest in our journal, in particular, your continued manuscript submissions to JPS and citations of JPS articles.
Sincerely yours,
Toshitaka Nabeshima, Ph.D.
Editor-in-Chief
Journal of Pharmacological Sciences
Correspondence to: Editorial Office, The Japanese Pharmacological Society
journal@pharmacol.or.jp
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