In the world of academic publishing, the mere existence of a journal is no longer sufficient to achieve visibility and impact. Today, international standards focus on indexing and classification in powerful databases such as Scopus, Web of Science (JCR), and DOAJ. Here comes the role of Open Journal Systems (OJS), an open-source platform designed to meet these requirements and facilitate the inclusion of journals in global indexes.
1. The Strongest International Journal Rankings
-
Web of Science & JCR (Clarivate)
-
The world’s top reference.
-
Provides journals with the Impact Factor.
-
The most important benchmark for evaluating universities and research projects.
-
-
Scopus (Elsevier)
-
The largest database of peer-reviewed journals.
-
Provides key indicators:
-
CiteScore
-
SJR (SCImago Journal Rank)
-
SNIP (Source Normalized Impact per Paper)
-
-
Relied upon by most universities worldwide for assessing research quality.
-
-
SCImago Journal Rank (SJR)
-
Ranks journals into quartiles (Q1–Q4).
-
Highlights the most influential journals (Q1).
-
-
DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)
-
The leading directory for open-access journals.
-
Ensures compliance with transparency and international publishing standards.
-
-
PubMed / MEDLINE (Medical Journals)
-
The most authoritative index in medicine and health sciences.
-
Being listed signifies international recognition of journal quality.
-
-
Google Scholar Metrics
-
Based on the h5-index.
-
Simpler than JCR or Scopus, but guarantees global article visibility.
-
2. Why Is OJS Qualified for These Rankings?
OJS was designed from the outset to align with international indexing and classification standards. Its features include:
-
Integration with Crossref for DOI assignment.
-
Support for ORCID to uniquely identify researchers.
-
OAI-PMH protocol for data exchange with indexes such as DOAJ and Google Scholar.
-
Preparation of JATS XML files required for PubMed Central.
-
Flexible customization to implement editorial ethics standards like COPE.
3. Practical Steps for Including an OJS Journal in Global Rankings
-
Step 1: Build a strong foundation
-
Ensure regular publication frequency.
-
Establish a rigorous peer-review process.
-
Publish clear editorial ethics policies (e.g., plagiarism and retraction).
-
-
Step 2: Initial indexing
-
Activate DOI for all articles through Crossref.
-
Provide complete and accurate metadata.
-
Ensure articles are indexed in Google Scholar.
-
-
Step 3: Apply to DOAJ
-
A crucial first step to build credibility.
-
Enhances the chances of acceptance in Scopus and Web of Science.
-
-
Step 4: Apply to Scopus
-
After building a strong publishing record.
-
Evaluated by the CSAB committee for quality, peer review, and consistency.
-
-
Step 5: Reach Web of Science / JCR
-
Start by applying to ESCI (Emerging Sources Citation Index).
-
After several years of compliance, promotion to SCIE and acquisition of an Impact Factor.
-
4. Editorial Tips
-
Publishing consistency matters more than quantity.
-
Double-Blind Peer Review increases credibility.
-
Internationalization: involve editors and reviewers from abroad.
-
Language: publishing in English enhances international visibility.
-
Transparency: make ethics and editorial policies public.
Indexing an OJS-based academic journal in Scopus or JCR is not impossible; it is the result of long-term commitment to international publishing standards. Thanks to the tools offered by OJS – DOI, ORCID, OAI-PMH, JATS XML – any journal using it has a strong foundation for achieving global reach.
OJS is not just a publishing platform; it is the true passport for your journal to reach the world’s most prestigious rankings.
