The impact factor (IF) is commonly used to evaluate the relative importance and reputation of a refereed scientific journal within its field. For example, the higher the journal IF (JIF), the more prestigious that journal is considered. The IF reflects the frequency of citations from newly published scientific studies to previously published research in that journal. The JIF for a particular journal is calculated by the ratio of the total number of citations received in a specific year to the total number of citable articles published by that journal in the previous two years over the total number of studies published in it (total number of citations/total number of scientific studies published). The JIF also determines the reliability of studies published in each journal. Hence, the high-IF journal is considered more important and highly reputable in its area.

The Arab impact factor (AIF) concerns only Arabic refereed journals only. It was established in 2007 by Professor Mahmoud Abdel-Ati, Vice Chairman of the African Science Academy in Kenya, Head of the Natural Sciences Publishing Foundation (NSP) in the USA and Head of the Mathematics Department at Zewail City in Egypt. The AIF project is directly sponsored by the Association of Arab Universities and supported by several academic and research institutions in the Arab world and abroad. It came in response to excluding Arab journals from the international journal classification. Indeed, there was a need to publish Arabic journals in accordance with international standards, ensure that the articles and studies appearing in them are properly documented and referenced, and include their contents in the Arab scientific output database, thus upgrading them to be listed in international classifications. In addition, the AIF helps Arab researchers identify major scientific journals in their fields.

The AIF is quite significant as it provides a quantitative and qualitative assessment of Arab refereed journals in various fields, thus listing the Arabic scientific output published in those journals. It also introduces researchers to the prominent scientific journals within their disciplines, and the impact factor of their work published in Arabic refereed journals. The AIF is also used by university promotion committees to gauge the impact factor of journals in which promotion applicants have published their work. In addition, the IF serves as a tool through which Arab publishing houses can measure the impact of their journals in order to improve them. Finally, it is significant to highlight the impact of distinguished academic and research institutions in various disciplines through the frequency of citations to the scientific output of their researchers.

Prof. Mohammed Al-Suqri

College of Arts & Social Sciences