Bibliometric Indicators: Impact and Altmetrics for an Extensive and Equitable Assessment of Colombian Scientific Journals

Abstract

Measuring and analyzing the quality of scientific publications is fundamentally important for assessing the progress and impact of researchers, research groups and scientific journals in the academic community and society (1,2). Traditionally, this assessment was entrusted to peers with a recognized track record, eligibility and prestige. However, bibliometric indicators have been used for several years to eliminate subjectivity, which aim at a measurable, objective and multi-dimensional qualification (1,3). 

Bibliometric indicators (BI) can be defined as quantifiers of the bibliographic information available in scientific and academic documents susceptible to being analyzed in terms of production and consumption (1,2). There is a typological variety of BI (1,2) based on the object to be examined (researcher, journal or research group) and, in some cases, they are cross-sectional to it. In this way, personal indicators (age, gender and background of the authors) only apply to researchers or groups, while productivity and impact also apply to journals. For journals, the productivity (quantity) and, more so, impact (“quality”) indicators, are routinely used to classify journals and compare them, with the increasingly controversial purpose of measuring their academic and/or social pertinence and relevance (4).