Recently, most leading journals have updated their metrics, including the Impact Factor (I.F.), which is revised annually. These values often fluctuate (sometimes increasing or decreasing), based on journal performance.
I would like to seek expert opinions on which I.F. should be mentioned in the publications section of an academic CV. Should we update it every year, or retain the value at the time of publication?
For instance, one of my papers was published in the Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing. When it appeared online in May 2024, the I.F. was 8.3. A few months later, it dropped to 5.9. This year, it has been updated to 7.4.
Which version of the I.F. would be appropriate to list in the CV?
Insights from experienced researchers would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
When including journal impact factors (IF) in a CV, it's generally best to cite the impact factor for the specific year the article was published, rather than the current one. This provides a more accurate representation of the journal's standing at the time of publication. You might also consider including the 5-year impact factor, especially if it's relevant to your field or if you're applying for positions where it's commonly used.
I've typically seen:
- mention the impact factor of each journal
- number of citations of each paper
- mention the acceptance rate of each conference
I'm not sure it is very helpful: people from your field will surely know the journals/conferences, while people from outside your field might be more interested in a “macro” view and not go into the minute details of your publications.
Moreover, I'm not sure I like the tone it conveys: it feels like bragging (this is typically done by people who are proud of these indicators), and a bit over-the-top to me. Finally, it's well accepted by now that things like the journal impact factor are a poor measure of individual papers' merits.
Dr. Abu-Hussein Muhamad, thank you for your kind reply. In my field, especially in India, a journal’s indexing and impact factor are very important for recognition. But the impact factor keeps changing every year. So, if a paper is published when the journal had a high impact factor, and later it drops, it creates confusion about which one to mention in the CV. Also, it’s hard to find a clear list of how the impact factor has changed year by year.
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