Going global: The scientometric development path of Russian academic journals in international reference databases

Abstract

We attempt to answer the question that has persisted since the introduction of partial restrictions on access to international reference databases (IRDs) for Russian researchers: is it still reasonable for national scientific journals to strive to be indexed in these databases or does it make sense for them to tread their development path at the national level? The study tests the hypothesis that indexation of Russian academic journals in the Web of Science and Scopus databases affects their scientometric indicators. Scientometric management and data management approaches constitute the theoretical framework of the paper. The key research method is scientometric analysis of bibliographic data. An extensive list of journals’ scientometric indicators was addressed, including those used when compiling the Science Index ranking until 20232. The research data were retrieved from the scientific electronic library eLibrary and Scopus and the Web of Science databases. The sample of the study is comprised of Russian academic journals indexed in the IRDs and classified in the State Classifier of Scientific and Technical Information (GRNTI) as the socio-humanitarian block. The analysis of the sample indicates that the effect expected from journals’ indexation in the IRDs, which suggests expanding the international pool of authors and a growing global interest, is overestimated, since it is largely ensured by an increase in the national academic audience. We substantiate that, despite the positive correlation between the rise in scientometric indicators and journals’ indexation in the IRDs, the mere fact of entering these databases is not the primary condition for success and the ultimate goal of development. The paper formulates recommendations stating that interaction between journals and the IRDs should be organized in accordance with editors’ goals and plans for the development of periodical