Factors to Consider in Evaluating Journals

Author: Thomas Bremer

Relevance

  • Extent to which the title supports academic programs
  • Interdisciplinary nature of the title
  • Demographic data (e.g. enrollment, level and number of courses offered, number of faculty and graduate students, etc.) about the department(s) that the title supports
  • Obsolescence potential
  • Inclusion on "core lists" or lists of journals recommended by accrediting agencies

Quality

  • Reputation of editors, contributors, publishers, sponsors
  • Selection by indexing/abstracting sources available through the Libraries
    • Check JAKE (free Yale web site tells what indexes cover a particular title)
  • Reviews of the title
  • Journal ranking studies
  • Quality of paper, print, graphics, special features
  • Currency and regular publication of issues

Relationship to Existing and Other Collections

  • Other journals in the same field that are available in the collection
  • Accessibility through online collections
  • Availability from other collections
    • Tri-College holdings of the title (Minnesota State University-Moorhead, Concordia College, NDSU)
    • University of North Dakota and other North Dakota Libraries
    • University of Minnesota and other MINITEX libraries
  • Availability from commercial Document Delivery services (UnCover, CISTI, etc.)

Use

  • Use of current, bound and microfilm holdings
  • Use of electronic files
  • Extent to which NDSU faculty publish in or cite the title

Cost

  • Current and past price history
  • Number of pages and frequency of publication
  • Shelf space necessary for physical retention
  • Ongoing expense likely to make title available
  • Availability of price before purchase decision is made
  • Comparison of vendor surcharge or staff cost to obtain directly from publisher