This study aims to examine the temporal characteristics of journals indexed in both the Korean Citation Index (KCI) and Scopus and evaluates the influence of journal age and coverage duration on indexing status and ranking in Scopus.
TJournal data was sourced from the SCImago Journal & Country Rank (SJR) portal and KCI, focusing on journals coindexed in Scopus and KCI post-2004, resulting in a data set of 282 journals. Regression analysis was used to determine the contributions of journal age and duration of Scopus coverage to key performance metrics.
Only 346 journals (1.2%) were coindexed in both databases. While journal age averaged 31.38 years, Scopus coverage averaged 9.40 years, indicating a substantial gap between establishment and indexing. Regression analysis shows that coverage duration, rather than journal age, is a stronger predictor of journal metrics. The duration of coverage varied significantly across quartiles, with higher quartiles showing longer coverage periods.
This study focused on journals that maintained their indexed status through 2022, excluding delisted journals. The analysis assumes consistent journal development over time, without considering factors such as name changes or shifts in language of publication that could influence indexing status, duration of coverage and journal metrics.
This study addresses a significant gap in the literature by examining the understudied relationship between journal age, coverage duration and performance metrics in KCI and Scopus. The findings reveal the pivotal role of coverage duration in journal rankings and indexing patterns.
