Differences in the rank position of journals by Eigenfactor metrics and the five‐year impact factor in the Journal Citation Reports and the Eigenfactor Project web site

Purpose – The traditional, annually issued Journal Citation Reports ( JCR ) have been enhanced since the 2007 edition by the Eigenfactor Scores (EFS), the Article Influence Scores (AIS) and the five‐year Journal Impact Factor (JIF‐5). This paper aims to focus on the issues. Design/methodology/approach – These scientometric indicators are also available from the Eigenfactor Project web site that uses data from the yearly updates of the JCR . Findings – Although supposedly identical data sources are used for computing the metrics, there are differences in the absolute scores reported, which in turn resulted in significant (more than ten rank positions) changes for several journals in the sample. Originality/value – The differences in the scores and rank positions by the three new scientometric indicators of 52 journals in the Information and Library Science category were analysed to determine the range of differences and the extent of changes in rank positions.