One of the key markers of a journal's reliability for researchers is its indexation in an international database. However, this is not always a guarantee of quality, since there is a risk that a publication may subsequently be excluded from it. It is therefore important for authors to understand which factors can lead to a loss of indexation, as this will help them recognise the danger in time and choose a genuinely reliable journal for publication.
How does inclusion in international databases take place?
In order to obtain indexation in an international database, a journal must undergo a rigorous review to assess its compliance with all of the platform's criteria. Among the largest aggregators of scientific literature are Scopus and Web of Science. Inclusion in these databases is a sign of a journal's reliability and prestige.
Each of these platforms has clear standards that publications aspiring to indexation must meet.
The procedure for inclusion in Scopus
To obtain indexation in Scopus, a journal is assessed across five areas:
- Editorial policy.
- Content of publications.
- Scientific authority of the journal.
- Regularity of issue publication.
- Online availability.
Which key aspects are taken into account? First and foremost, the publication's editorial policy is analysed – the presence of a clear and transparent peer-review process (double-blind, open, etc.) and the geographical diversity of authors and editorial board members, which demonstrates the journal's international standing.
Next, the content of the publications is assessed, specifically: whether the articles make a genuine contribution to the development of the field, whether the abstracts are clear and informative, and whether the subject matter of the issues corresponds to the publication's stated focus.
Separately, the journal's reputation is taken into account – the citation level of its articles as an indicator of its influence within the scientific community, as well as the authority of the editor-in-chief and the composition of the editorial board, which indirectly confirms the competence of the team managing the publication. You can find out more about all the criteria for inclusion in Scopus via this link.
The procedure for inclusion in Web of Science
Web of Science's evaluation system has a more comprehensive structure and analyses journals against a unified set of 28 criteria, divided into two groups: 24 quality indicators (the journal's editorial policy, the quality of scientific content, the accuracy of translation of materials into English, the quality of editorial assessment, and so on) and 4 impact indicators (based on citation metrics).
The evaluation and allocation to citation indexes is carried out by in-house specialist editors, each assigned to a particular subject field, rather than by automated algorithms. Journals that pass the quality criteria are included in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), while those that additionally meet the impact criteria are included in the flagship collections depending on their field: Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index, or Arts & Humanities Citation Index.
You can find out more about the full list of criteria for the inclusion of journals via this link.
Common reasons for the exclusion of journals from international databases
We have established which aspects are key during the evaluation of journals seeking inclusion in these two databases. However, despite the similarity of the mechanism for gaining indexation, the procedure for losing it differs between Scopus and Web of Science.
Why might a journal lose its indexation in Scopus?
Scopus regularly evaluates the performance of journals. Practically every month, the database publishes an up-to-date list on its official website of publications that have lost their indexation due to breaches of the platform's standards. In this list, each exclusion is accompanied by an official label. This label indicates the specific reason for the discontinuation of coverage.
The two most commonly encountered labels are:
- Discontinuation – the cessation of further indexation of the journal in Scopus due to non-compliance with quality standards or publishing ethics norms. At the same time, articles that were indexed prior to the moment of exclusion generally remain in the database.
- Journal Change Policy – the journal has undergone significant changes (for example, a change of title, publisher, editorial policy, or subject profile), and Scopus therefore carries out a re-evaluation of the journal to determine whether the publication still meets the database's criteria.
Behind these formal labels lie specific grounds that the Content Selection and Advisory Board (CSAB) takes into account during re-evaluation:
- Publication concerns – Scopus or members of the research community may identify signs of a breach of editorial policy, academic integrity, or publication ethics. If such concerns are confirmed, the journal is referred for re-evaluation.
- Non-compliance with Scopus quality criteria – during re-evaluation, the CSAB checks whether the journal continues to meet the criteria under which it was originally included in the database.
- Outlier behaviour – the Radar analytical system, developed by Elsevier specialists, automatically detects atypical changes in a publication's activity. Such signs may include a sharp, unexplained increase in the number of published articles and citations, anomalous changes in the geographical composition of authors and their affiliations, as well as other deviations from the journal's usual pattern of development.
Why might a journal lose its indexation in Web of Science?
Just as with Scopus, Web of Science updates information on excluded journals on a monthly basis. The platform regularly evaluates journals to ensure their compliance with editorial quality, publishing standards, and ethical requirements. Web of Science uses three separate reasons for exclusion, which are recorded in the list.
- Editorial De-listing – applies to journals which, during re-evaluation, were found to no longer meet the database's quality criteria, and were consequently removed from Web of Science. This is the main and most common reason, and relates directly to substantive violations: non-compliance with the stated scope, problems with peer review, failure to uphold ethical standards, and so on.
- Production De-listing – this label is given to journals that are excluded because their publisher effectively stops submitting issues of the journal for indexation. This is not related to the quality or ethics of the publication.
- Cease – journals that are no longer being published, and therefore lose their indexation in Web of Science.
There are many reasons for the loss of indexation. Some of them are directly related to the quality of manuscript peer review and the journal's adherence to ethical standards, while others are purely technical, such as a change of publisher or the discontinuation of issue publication. This demonstrates that indexation in an international database is not a guarantee of a publication's reliability. Therefore, before choosing a journal for publication, authors should check not only the journal's current status, but also the history of its editorial policy and any warnings issued by the database.
If you need assistance with publishing in Scopus or Web of Science, contact Scientific Publications. Thanks to our many years of experience, our specialists will help you choose a reliable and reputable journal and prepare your article to a high standard in line with its requirements. In addition, we will support you at every stage of the publication process, right up until the moment of indexation. Would you like a free consultation? Fill in the form below, and our manager will get in touch with you as soon as possible. Together towards new scientific achievements!
