How journals are indexed in Scopus and whether this guarantees their quality: A practical case of the International Journal of Science Annals

Background and Aim of Study: The present study discusses the necessity and sufficiency of the criteria of the Scopus database for quality assurance of scientific publications, as well as the role of the reviewer in the journal evaluation process. The paper presents an analysis of the process by which IJSA is evaluated by Scopus reviewers to ensure that the journal meets the stated criteria for indexing in Scopus. The aim of the study: to carry out a comparative analysis of the results of the expert evaluation with the real qualitative and quantitative criteria of a given journal, and to compare them with the criteria of periodicals indexed in Scopus. Material and Methods: Methods of analysis of qualitative and quantitative IJSA criteria based on five categories and fourteen selection criteria from Scopus were used. A comparative analysis of scientific periodicals indexed in Scopus over the last 5 years has been conducted. We used open databases to study the current state of the research problem: English-language journal articles, journal websites, and social media. Results: A case study of a particular journal, IJSA, was used to describe the whole process of preparing, submitting, evaluating, and appealing the evaluation of the journal in the Scopus database. A journal may indeed meet high criteria for assessing scientific publications, including those declared by Scopus. But this does not guarantee its indexing in this database because there is a human factor – a Content Selection and Advisory Board (CSAB) reviewer – who has the power to subjectively evaluate the journal and reject it on formal grounds or on his / her own misjudgment. Conclusions: The decision of the CSAB reviewer is more significant for the inclusion of a journal in Scopus than the fulfillment of the quality criteria of the evaluated journal. This is illustrated by the fact that some journals cannot be indexed or are excluded from indexing in Scopus, while other journals of lesser quality have been indexed in this database for many years. Many criteria for assessing the quality of journals need to be reviewed, and a balance must be struck between their necessity and sufficiency. This eliminates any possible (or forced) manipulation of journals to meet Scopus indexing criteria.