In June 2010 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 that each receives in other journals that year. Librarians, researchers, and tenure committees use these ISI rankings, including what is called the "impact factor" (how much a journal impacts a certain field), to 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 2009 ISI ranking for Social Problems placed it among the leading journals in all of sociology, with an impact factor of 1.698 and an overall ranking of #9. SP is in good company: Social Problems' 2009 impact factor places it among general research journals in sociology after American Sociology Review, American Journal of Sociology, Annual Review of Sociology, and Social Networks.

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 within the top 10 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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Click here for a pdf of the 2009 ISI Rankings (PDF, 323 KB)