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Choosing & Evaluating Journals, Publishers & Conferences: Indexing

This guide provides information on choosing and evaluating journals for possible publication.

Indexing

Where is the journal indexed? If articles in a journal can only be found by using a search engine (e.g. Google Scholar), it may be difficult for other researchers to find your article. Some disreputable publishers may claim they are indexed in a particular database.

  • Search the journal title in Ulrichs Global Serials Directory. Information on journal indexing is available in the Abstracting & Indexing section of the record for the journal.
  • Always check the list of titles indexed by that database to ensure that the title is listed (information in Ulrichs is supplied by the publisher, and some disreputable publishers may provide misleading information). Always double check publisher's claims.

The WIU Libraries subscribe to over 120 Indexes and Databases on a wide variety of subjects that can be used to locate journal articles and other publications on a topic. In addition, the Libraries provide access to digital collections such as JSTOR and Project MUSE. It is possible to view the titles included in these indexes by examining the title lists on database vendors' websites.

NOTE OF CAUTION: Some disreputable publishers claim that they are indexed in a database by displaying vendor logos on their websites. Vendors like EBSCO, ProQuest and Clarivate Analytics' Web of Science (formerly published by ISI and Thomson Reuters) provide more than one database. If a publisher states that it is indexed by one of these companies, and does not list the name of an individual index, check to see if the title is indexed in a subject index (NOT a general index). A list of these indexes is in the box below. If you need help, contact your Library Liaison or Linda Zellmer.

Database Vendor Title Lists

Index & Database Title Lists

Most databases provide a list of journals that are indexed. The following links connect to pages that provide title lists for indexes in a number of different fields, including indexes that are available through the WIU Libraries as well as other important subject indexes (such as the Citation Indexes from Thomson Reuters). These lists could be useful in finding journals in a given subject area. In particular, look at the journals that are given priority or listed as core journals in an index.