RSA Journal Metrics Updates

The use of journal metrics is contested and DORA – the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (2013) sought to improve the practices of research evaluation. There remain a large number of metrics used in the evaluation of research and the latest results are now available for Elsevier’s Scopus Citescore and the Impact Factor

Before giving the headline results is pleasing to note that Regional Studies, the original journal of the Association  has an impact factor which has risen to 3.312 from 3.074 . A very pleasing outcome placing the journal 8^th in Urban and Regional Planning, 14^th in Geography, 50^th in Economics (out of 371 journals) and 34^th in Environmental Studies.

Last week Elsevier released the 2019 Scopus Citescores. This is a new metric which measures the average citations per document that a title receives over a three-year period. We are delighted with the positions of all our journals. 

Regional Studies Regional Science: Citescore 2.1.
303/1243 in the top quartile of Sociology and Political Science category.

Spatial Economic Analysis’ impact factor was 1.628, a slight drop over a highpoint the previous year and placed it 149^th in Economics while Territory, Politics, Governance was 2.163 again a slight fall but with rankings of 47^th of 180 in Political Studies and 39^th in Geography.

We would like to use this opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of our authors, referees and especially our hard working editorial teams in achieving these outcomes. It has been hard for so many colleagues globally over the past four months and that makes the volunteer effort of so many working on our journals even more impressive – thank you to all of you.