Web of Science (WoS), formerly known as Web of Knowledge, is one of the world's most prestigious and oldest citation indexing services, maintained by Clarivate Analytics (formerly part of Thomson Reuters).

Web of Science provides comprehensive citation search and access to multiple databases containing information from thousands of academic journals, books, and conference proceedings across all major disciplines including science, technology, social sciences, arts, and humanities.

With records dating back to 1900, Web of Science is one of the most historically rich citation databases in the world. It currently indexes over 21,000 peer-reviewed journals from more than 250 disciplines and contains over 1.9 billion cited references.

Web of Science is widely regarded as the gold standard for research evaluation and is used by universities, funding agencies, and governments worldwide to assess research quality and impact.

The history of Web of Science traces back to Dr. Eugene Garfield, who founded the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) in 1960. Dr. Garfield pioneered the concept of citation indexing for scientific literature.

In 1964, ISI launched the Science Citation Index (SCI), the world's first citation index for scientific journals. This was followed by the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) in 1973 and the Arts & Humanities Citation Index (AHCI) in 1978.

In 1992, ISI was acquired by Thomson Scientific, which later became Thomson Reuters. The online platform was rebranded as Web of Science and became part of the broader Web of Knowledge platform.

In 1997, Dr. Garfield introduced the Journal Impact Factor (JIF) through the Journal Citation Reports (JCR), which became the most widely used metric for evaluating journal prestige worldwide.

In 2016, Thomson Reuters sold its Intellectual Property and Science division to Onex Corporation and Baring Private Equity Asia, who rebranded the company as Clarivate Analytics. Clarivate now manages and maintains Web of Science.

In 2015, Clarivate introduced the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) to include high-quality regional and emerging journals that had not yet been accepted into the core indexes (SCIE, SSCI, AHCI).

Today, Web of Science remains one of the two most important citation databases globally, alongside Scopus, and continues to be the authoritative source for Journal Impact Factor calculations.

Web of Science consists of four major citation indexes, each covering different academic disciplines. Understanding these indexes is crucial for researchers looking to publish in WoS-indexed journals.

SCIE – Science Citation Index Expanded: This is the largest and most well-known index in Web of Science. SCIE covers over 9,500 journals across 178 scientific disciplines including physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, computer science, medicine, and more. Journals indexed in SCIE receive a Journal Impact Factor (JIF) through the Journal Citation Reports.

SSCI – Social Sciences Citation Index: SSCI indexes approximately 3,500 journals across 58 social science disciplines including economics, political science, psychology, sociology, education, law, and management. SSCI journals also receive a Journal Impact Factor.

AHCI – Arts & Humanities Citation Index: AHCI covers about 1,800 journals in arts and humanities disciplines including literature, philosophy, history, linguistics, religion, music, and performing arts. Note that AHCI journals do not receive a Journal Impact Factor.

ESCI – Emerging Sources Citation Index: Introduced in 2015, ESCI indexes high-quality, peer-reviewed journals that demonstrate regional importance and emerging scholarly impact but are not yet included in SCIE, SSCI, or AHCI. Starting from 2023, ESCI journals also receive a Journal Impact Factor, significantly boosting their prestige.

Journals indexed in any of these four indexes are considered "Web of Science indexed" and are recognized globally for research evaluation and academic career advancement.

The Journal Impact Factor (JIF) is the most widely recognized and influential metric for measuring journal prestige and citation impact. It is published annually in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) by Clarivate Analytics.

The Impact Factor is calculated by dividing the number of citations received in a given year to articles published in the two preceding years by the total number of citable articles published in those two years.

Formula: Impact Factor = Citations in Year X to articles published in Years (X-1) and (X-2) ÷ Total citable articles published in Years (X-1) and (X-2)

For example, if a journal published 100 articles in 2022 and 2023, and those articles received 500 citations in 2024, the journal's 2024 Impact Factor would be 5.0 (500 ÷ 100).

A higher Impact Factor generally indicates that a journal's articles are cited more frequently, suggesting greater influence and prestige in its field. However, Impact Factors vary significantly across disciplines — a JIF of 2.0 may be excellent in mathematics but below average in biomedical sciences.

In addition to the standard 2-year Impact Factor, Clarivate also publishes a 5-Year Impact Factor, which provides a longer citation window and is particularly useful for fields where research takes longer to be cited.

Web of Science indexing is considered one of the highest marks of quality for academic journals. Here's why it matters:

1. Gold Standard for Research Evaluation: Web of Science is widely considered the gold standard for research evaluation globally. Many universities, funding agencies, and governments rely on WoS data to assess research quality and productivity.

2. Journal Impact Factor: Only journals indexed in Web of Science (SCIE, SSCI, and now ESCI) receive a Journal Impact Factor, which is the most recognized metric for journal prestige worldwide.

3. Academic Career Advancement: In most countries, publishing in WoS-indexed journals (especially SCIE and SSCI) is a key requirement for academic promotions, PhD completions, and tenure decisions.

4. University Rankings: Major ranking systems like THE World University Rankings, ARWU (Shanghai Rankings), and QS World Rankings use Web of Science data to measure institutional research output and citation impact.

5. Funding and Grants: Many national and international funding agencies require researchers to demonstrate publications in WoS-indexed journals when applying for grants and research funding.

6. Rigorous Selection Process: Web of Science has one of the most stringent journal evaluation processes, ensuring that only the highest quality journals are included. This makes WoS indexing a reliable indicator of journal quality.

7. Historical Citation Data: With records going back to 1900, Web of Science provides unparalleled historical citation data, enabling comprehensive bibliometric analyses and research trend identification.

Getting a journal indexed in Web of Science is a rigorous process evaluated by the Clarivate Editorial Selection Process. Here are the key steps and criteria:

Step 1: Meet Basic Publishing Standards – The journal must have peer-reviewed content, a valid ISSN, publish content in English (or at minimum have English-language titles, abstracts, and cited references), have a dedicated website with clear editorial policies, and maintain a consistent publication schedule.

Step 2: Demonstrate Editorial Rigor – The journal must have a clearly stated peer review policy, an editorial board composed of recognized experts in the field with international representation, and transparent ethical guidelines aligned with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) standards.

Step 3: Build Publication History – The journal should have been publishing consistently for at least 2-3 years with a track record of timely publication. It should demonstrate growing citation activity and author diversity.

Step 4: Submit for Evaluation – Submit the journal through the Clarivate Web of Science Journal Evaluation portal. The application requires detailed information about the journal's scope, editorial process, publication ethics, and content quality.

Step 5: Clarivate Evaluation – Clarivate evaluates journals based on 24 quality criteria organized into four categories: Editorial Rigor, Publishing Best Practices, Journal Impact, and Content Relevance. The evaluation typically takes 6-12 months.

Step 6: Initial Indexing in ESCI – Most newly accepted journals are first indexed in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI). After demonstrating consistent quality and growing citation impact, journals may be promoted to SCIE, SSCI, or AHCI.

Step 7: Continuous Re-evaluation – Web of Science continuously monitors indexed journals and may remove journals that fail to maintain quality standards, show irregular citation patterns, or violate publishing ethics.

Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus are the two most important citation databases in the academic world. Here's a detailed comparison:

Operator: Web of Science is maintained by Clarivate Analytics, while Scopus is maintained by Elsevier.

Coverage: Scopus indexes over 27,000 active titles, while Web of Science covers approximately 21,000 journals. Scopus has broader overall coverage, but Web of Science is considered more selective.

Impact Metrics: Web of Science uses the Journal Impact Factor (JIF) published in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR), which is the most recognized journal metric worldwide. Scopus uses CiteScore, SJR, and SNIP.

Historical Data: Web of Science has citation records going back to 1900, making it far superior for historical bibliometric analysis. Scopus has records from 1788 but comprehensive coverage only from 1996 onwards.

Selection Rigor: Web of Science is generally considered more selective in its journal evaluation process compared to Scopus. Being indexed in WoS (especially SCIE or SSCI) is often viewed as a higher achievement.

Geographic Coverage: Scopus has better representation of journals from developing countries and non-English speaking regions. Web of Science has traditionally been more focused on journals from North America and Western Europe, though this has improved with the introduction of ESCI.

Conference Proceedings: Scopus provides better coverage of conference proceedings. Web of Science covers conference proceedings through the Conference Proceedings Citation Index (CPCI).

Both databases are widely respected, and many high-quality journals are indexed in both. For maximum research visibility and career advancement, researchers are advised to target journals indexed in both Web of Science and Scopus.

Publishing in a Web of Science indexed journal is a significant academic achievement. Follow these steps to maximize your chances:

• Identify the Right Journal: Search for WoS-indexed journals in your research area using the Master Journal List at mjl.clarivate.com. Consider the journal's Impact Factor, scope, and target audience. Check whether the journal is indexed in SCIE, SSCI, AHCI, or ESCI.

• Prepare a High-Quality Manuscript: Write your research paper following international academic standards. Ensure your manuscript has a compelling title, structured abstract, clear methodology, significant results, and a thorough discussion section. Follow the specific author guidelines of your target journal.

• Ensure Originality: WoS-indexed journals have strict plagiarism policies. Use tools like iThenticate or Turnitin to check your manuscript. Most journals expect a similarity index below 15-20%. Ensure proper citations for all referenced works.

• Write a Strong Cover Letter: Draft a compelling cover letter to the editor highlighting the novelty and significance of your research, why it fits the journal's scope, and how it advances the field.

• Submit Through the Official Portal: Submit your manuscript through the journal's official online submission system (commonly ScholarOne, Editorial Manager, or OJS). Ensure all supplementary materials and author declarations are included.

• Navigate Peer Review: The peer review process for WoS journals typically takes 2-6 months. When you receive reviewer comments, address each point systematically in a detailed response letter. Revise your manuscript accordingly and resubmit within the deadline.

• Post-Acceptance: After acceptance, complete proofreading carefully, pay any applicable Article Processing Charges (APC) for open access, and your paper will be published and indexed in Web of Science.

To verify if a journal is indexed in Web of Science, use the following methods:

• Master Journal List: Visit the official Clarivate Master Journal List at mjl.clarivate.com and search for the journal by title or ISSN. This is the most reliable and official method to check WoS indexing status.

• Journal Citation Reports (JCR): Access JCR through jcr.clarivate.com to check if a journal has a Journal Impact Factor. Only SCIE, SSCI, and ESCI journals appear in JCR.

• Web of Science Platform: Search for the journal directly on the Web of Science platform at www.webofscience.com. If the journal appears in search results, it is indexed.

• Beware of Predatory Journals: Some predatory or low-quality journals falsely claim to be indexed in Web of Science. Always verify through the official Master Journal List. Be cautious of journals claiming "Web of Science listed" without specifying the actual index (SCIE, SSCI, AHCI, or ESCI).

• Check for Discontinued Journals: Some journals may have been previously indexed in WoS but later removed. The Master Journal List shows the current indexing status, so always check the most recent listing.