In July 2011 the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) released its annually compiled citation rankings for journals in the physical and biological sciences, medicine, technology, and social sciences. Each year, ISI ranks journals according to the number of citations each receives in other journals. Librarians, researchers, and tenure committees consider ISI rankings among the factors that determine a journal's benefit to and cache within the scholarly community.

We are pleased to announce that once again, Social Problems has demonstrated its influence and importance within the discipline of sociology. The 2010 ISI ranking for Social Problems placed it in the 88th percentile of all journals in the discipline—among the leading journals in all of sociology—with an impact factor of 1.627 and an overall ranking of 16 out of a field of 129. SP's consistently high impact factor through the years speaks to the enduring quality of the journal, especially as the field of sociology journals has grown by 36 titles in just the last five years.

While these ISI rankings do not provide the entire picture of a journal, including its peer-review process, its history, or value to a niche audience, they do relay a journal's overall discoverability, relative significance in the field, and timeliness of content—aspects that result from the hard work and foresight of its editorial office, a healthy society membership and reader base, and a diligent publisher able to utilize every means possible to enhance visibility in a digital environment. Social Problems' ongoing ranking among the highest-cited journals warrants hearty congratulations to Ted Chiricos, Editor, and his entire team whose efforts have ensured that SP remains one of the most influential outlets in our discipline! 


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