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Editorial Policy

Last updated September 15, 2026

Our editorial standards are designed to mirror the rigor and transparency expected in academic publishing. Every article, metric calculation, and comparison tool published on Impact Factor Site adheres to strict research standards.

Primary Source Sourcing Standard

We exclusively utilize verified primary sources for all quantitative claims and metric citations:

  • Clarivate Journal Citation Reports (JCR)®: Primary source for Journal Impact Factor (JIF), JIF Quartiles, and 5-Year Impact Factors.
  • Elsevier Scopus®: Primary source for CiteScore, CiteScore Tracker, and Scopus subject categories.
  • SCImago & CWTS Leiden: Primary sources for SJR and SNIP indicators.
  • Official Publisher & Society Portals: Primary sources for editorial board composition, aims & scope, review times, and Article Processing Charges (APCs).

Secondary aggregator sites, automated scrapers, and third-party blogs are explicitly rejected as authoritative sources.

Artificial Intelligence & Writing Transparency

We believe in absolute transparency regarding modern writing and research tools. While computational and natural language models may assist in organizing data outlines, every single data point, formula, citation, and analytical conclusion is verified and curated by named human experts before publication. We do not publish automated or unverified AI-generated content.

Review Cadence & Content Life Cycle

Our editorial team reviews all content according to a structured calendar:

  • Annual Metric Re-Verification: Full database re-verification occurs every June following the official Clarivate JCR and Scopus CiteScore releases.
  • Continuous Rolling Reviews: Guides and explainer articles are reviewed quarterly for regulatory, publishing model, and indexing changes.
  • Real Timestamps: Every page displays a genuine “Last Updated” date representing substantive review.

Read our Fact-Checking Policy → · View Corrections Log →

Written and reviewed by named authors Every page is bylined with real credentials, linked to ORCID or Google Scholar — no anonymous “Team” posts.
Every figure sourced and dated No metric is published without a visible primary source and a “last reviewed” date.