ISI Web of Knowledge: Proven track record of high quality and value

 

Joanna Kato
Thomson Scientific

Over 3,200 institutions in 72 countries have chosen ISI Web of KnowledgeSM as an essential information resource. Over 100,000 users access ISI Web of Knowledge daily. This comprehensive research environment has amassed a proven track record of high quality, objective data accessible via sophisticated search tools and capabilities.

Meeting the information needs of librarians
 A proliferation of information and continued budget cuts add up to tougher choices for librarians, often the key decision-makers responsible for selecting what information - in what format - their users will be able to access.

Reliability, consistency, comprehensiveness, a proven track record - these are all crucial factors to consider when choosing information resources. The Thomson Scientific editorial process addresses these factors, and assures librarians that ISI Web of Knowledge is the integrated information solution their institutions require.

The Thomson Scientific editorial process serves as a filter
 This careful process helps Thomson Scientific remove irrelevant information and present researchers with only the most influential scholarly resources. A team of editorial experts, thoroughly familiar with the disciplines covered, review and assess each publication against these rigorous selection standards:

  • Impact factor: judges prestige and influence by measuring the frequency with which the average article in a journal has been cited in a particular year or period
  • Immediacy index: indicates the speed with which citations of a specific journal appear in the published literature, and helps to identify journals in emerging areas of research
  • Timeliness: a regular release schedule indicates a healthy backlog of manuscripts and the ongoing viability and reliability of a publication
  • International editorial conventions: the availability of informative titles and abstracts, complete bibliographic information for all cited references, and full author addresses ease retrievability of source articles
  • Peer review: this process indicates high standards and superior quality of research
  • Editorial content: each journal must enrich the body of knowledge in its field
  • International and geographical representation: includes journals with international coverage as well as influential regional publications

Objectivity assures unmatched quality
 These measurements are trusted and relied upon because they supply objective, quantitative, easily comparable data that help:

  • Researchers choose which journals to publish in
  • Librarians select the optimal journals for their collections
  • Publishers track the performance of their journals against others in similar disciplines
  • Students perform more focused searches, using reliable resources

Editorial experts systematically review over 2,000 additional print and electronic publications each year, with only 10% to 12% selected for inclusion. These publications are continuously monitored to ensure they maintain the same high-quality standards and relevance that initially earned them a place.

Researchers rely on this comprehensive information
 The result of this careful and time-tested selection process is a multidisciplinary, multi-publisher geographically diverse collection of content, from journals, conference proceedings, patents, chemical reactions and compounds, and evaluated Web sites.

Over 230 disciplines in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities are covered; including specialized coverage from both Thomson Scientific and its information partners in key disciplines within the life sciences, engineering, psychology, agriculture, and the food sciences. And, over 100 years of fully indexed backfiles are available via Century of Science™, a new Web of Science® initiative.

An interface and search tools that promote access
 ISI Web of Knowledge also provides researchers with the essential connections that make high-quality content useful and accessible. Connections such as cited reference searching, cross searching and full-text linking help researchers quickly discover the exact data they need.

The Thomson Scientific Authority File enhances the power of cited reference searching by ensuring the capture of as many correct citations as possible; identifying and unifying inaccurately cited references and presenting them in a correct, standardized reference format. A full series of computer algorithms and human editorial checks spots potential errors, standardizes the look of the data, and optimizes retrievability - creating a truly accurate, searchable, and browseable cited reference index.

Nearly 50 years ago, Dr. Eugene Garfield began compiling a record of reliability and quality
 And the unique and innovative indexing methods and editorial processes he initiated have evolved and grown to become the strong foundation behind a rapidly expanding portfolio of integrated information solutions. Much has changed in the information industry in the last half century, but librarians and researchers know they can still rely on the quality and accuracy of content provided by ISI—now a key part of Thomson Scientific, a leader in the rapidly expanding field of information gathering and dissemination. Librarians and researchers know that ISI Web of Knowledge is a prime representation of this commitment to quality and innovation.

It started with a single idea—and a man who could see the possibilities of this idea. In 1955, Dr. Eugene Garfield revolutionized scientific research with his concept of citation indexing and searching. Dr. Garfield’s emphasis was on finding the highest-quality material and delivering it in a format that was useful, clear and effective. He found out what librarians and researchers needed - and delivered products that met their needs in ways that were unique and innovative.

Almost 50 years later, much has changed in the information industry, but quality of content and customer input remain our top priorities. Thomson Scientific remains a leader in the information industry - providing a strong foundation of quality and enabling a future of continued innovation.