Advantages and disadvantages of Scimago

Each scientific work should be made available for review. The publication can be placed on the pages of domestic and international publications. The search engine should index it. Scimago is a specially developed resource where information about the authority of international publications is published. This is a journal where you can find a rating, get a link, view information in graphic form.

What is Scimago and what is it used for?

Scimago (SJR) is a publication (magazine) that provides the user with the opportunity to get acquainted with current information about international platforms for posting works. This is a specific rating for assessing the authority of international scientific information publications.

The Scimago Ranking (SJR) is based on information obtained from Scopus databases. In order to correctly index a journal, Scimago evaluates its authority based on several parameters:

1. Overall activity. But it is not how popular each publication is that is taken into account, but their total number.
2. General number of citations. This is a specific indicator that requires additional information collection.
3. Number of citations per year. This indicator shows how often a scientific journal is mentioned in other international publications.
4. Hirsch Index: Each publication is checked and assigned a corresponding indicator that helps calculate its rating.

A detailed analysis allows using the calculated indicator to form a kind of popularity rating. It also now indicates not only the authority of the publication, but also the country, since Scimago (SJR) is also an international journal. The system indexes publications by the authority of communities, universities, private organizations. With the help of Scimago (SJR), you can evaluate a country, an educational institution, a scientific journal, a private publication, etc.

SJR Advantages

There are only three main criteria by which the Scimago Scientific Judgment Rating (SJR) is determined:

1. Evaluation of research activities based on 11 parameters.
2. Innovation activity according to three PATSTAT criteria.
3. Social significance. It is assessed how the journal is indexed by search engines Google and Ahrefs.

This is enough to form a relevant, reliable rating, which is updated twice a year. Scimago allows you to determine the authority of any international publication. The magazine itself is in English, but anyone can figure it out, even if they don’t speak foreign languages. Although some users consider this factor a minus.

A definite plus is that the rating is updated regularly. But this is not the only plus, as Scimago (SJR) users can rate any service for posting works according to several criteria:

1. The rating evaluates the totality of works by leading scientists.
2. Self-citation is taken into account, but to an extremely limited extent.
3. It is possible to find out the rating even if the publication publishes the works of several co-authors.

But even a single publication that resonates can increase the rating, which introduces a certain inaccuracy. Another minus is that Scimago (SJR) does not take into account sources with works by young scientists. Plus, Scimago practically does not index materials that cannot be referenced if the publication is not cited. But for a young scientist, this is more of a minus than a plus.

An equally important advantage is the graphical display of data provided by Scimago. The publication publishes graphs and charts where each user can evaluate:

1. The average number of citations over a given period of time.
2. Determine the authority of a resource by analogy with the impact factor.
3. Find out about the level of demand for the platform for posting works.
4. Get a link to a particular resource, knowing that it has already been indexed.

All this together is a big plus when it comes to having a publication published in a reputable international journal. Each indicator is determined based on the results of analytical data processing. And successful publication of an article is a guarantee that the work will be seen by a large number of scientists from all over the world.

Cons of Scimago

The first disadvantage is that authority is still a relative indicator, which is determined by the number of placements, citations, links, etc. The chance for beginning scientists to successfully declare themselves in the scientific world is a plus, but Scimago builds the rating in such a way that information platforms for beginners rarely get into the TOP. Another disadvantage is that the user cannot have complete information to predict how the rating will change in the coming months.

Despite the simplicity and accessibility, users face a number of problems. There is not enough Russification. Accordingly, if something is not clear, you will not be able to use the hints in Russian. You have to use online translators, which do not always cope with the task properly. This is due to the presence of specific terminology. The dynamics of updates (once every six months) does not suit everyone. What was relevant five months after the update may cease to be so in a few weeks.

How to use Scimago?

To determine your authority level, you need to evaluate each indicator provided by Scimago. To do this, follow the link https://www.scimagojr.com/. Next:

1. Enter the initial search data: publication, key phrases, ISSN.
2. From the drop-down list, select where you want your publication to be posted.
3. Find out about the ranking position, compare the indicator with "competitors".
4. From the main page, follow the corresponding link to the Scimago tab.

After the transition, you will be able to filter the data by the following criteria:

• area of scientific research;
• the subject of the published works;
• state, region;
• type of information source;
• reporting period (year).

The number of links in the search results is not limited. But the advantage is that the positions are arranged according to authority. The most authoritative and popular publications are at the top of the list. Each position is a link to a page with more detailed information. This is a convenient environment that allows you to find a platform for posting your own scientific work. The information published on this site is provided free of charge, and you do not even need to register.

The resource is easy to use, the interface is clear, the only downside is that it is an exclusively analytical portal. And in order to successfully publish your work, it is better to use the services of specialized organizations. For example, the site "Academy of Articles" provides publication services in Scopus. Otherwise, you will have to do everything yourself, and then success is not guaranteed.