Having a book listed in numerous global indexing and abstracting services improves the discoverability and usage of the research contained within. Thus, it is important that researchers strive to set the book up for maximum indexing potential.
Upon publication, all IGI Global books are made accessible to both Scopus and Web of Science, among other
indexing and abstracting databases. As these indices are independent of IGI Global, IGI Global has no influence or say over which publications will be selected for inclusion. These indices choose which books they wish to index; however, they have their own specific criteria they use when selecting which books from IGI Global’s collections to index. These criteria include the diversity of contributions, the international scope of the book, the quality of the chapters, and the citation impact.
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- Flexible Timelines (Less Than 1 Year, if desired)
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While many researchers wish to be indexed by Scopus or Web of Science because it increases the visibility of their publications, their publications may not meet the mark of this selective criteria and unfortunately will not be indexed. Much of the work required to make a book eligible for indexing occurs during the development process and is dependent on the content contained within. It is essential when organizing a book project to actively craft the work to fit the expectations of the index. To do this, it is important to understand their expectations and criteria and follow them prior to the publication of the book.
IGI Global would like to suggest some tips to develop an impactful and dynamic publication that will meet all criteria and increase its chances of becoming indexed.
Diversity of Contributions
IGI Global encourages all its edited books to include a diverse array of chapter contributors to increase the international scope of the book and include helpful information and insights from all regions of the world. This international coverage not only gives voice to all academic communities, but also strengthens the content and impact of the book. While a book focused on one country may be useful for scholars within that country or niche researchers who are doing a study on a specific country, an edited book featuring international contributions is useful to global researchers and features a multitude of application scenarios.
While IGI Global always encourages editors to include diversity within the book, it also gives the work the advantage of getting indexed. By increasing the impact of the book through international contributions, scope, and relevancy, it also raises the notoriety of the book itself and garners the attention of popular indices.
Scope of the Book
Edited books that feature an international scope increase the likelihood of becoming indexed as it increases the impact and relevancy of the research to other academicians in the global research community. While this remains an important quality for the scope of the book, there is more consideration when analyzing the scope for indexing.
Both Scopus and Web of Science concentrate their index to include the following subjects:
- Social Sciences
- Arts & Humanities (A&H)
- Science, Technology, & Medicine (STM)
Furthermore, content that is trending, forthcoming, and unique in scope tends to attract more attention as these titles tend not to add to an already oversaturated area of research. When proposing a new book, it is important to consider other titles currently available and how much overlap the proposed title may have.
Chapter Quality
The quality of chapters is essential to producing an indexed reference work. Scopus and Web of Science only accept peer-reviewed and fully referenced academic publications.
Peer-Reviewed Work
IGI Global ensures that every book, chapter, and article produced undergoes a
double-blind peer review process before it is published by reviewers who maintain the highest ethical standards of scientific research. These reviewers evaluate the manuscript for:
- originality and significance of the contribution,
- interest to the research community and/or practitioners,
- international relevance,
- coverage of existing literature,
- satisfactoriness of methodology, analysis, and comprehension,
- clear, concise, and jargon-free writing,
- and organizational structure.
Proofreading, Copyediting, and More
In addition to benefiting from a thorough peer review process, editors, authors, and contributors working with IGI Global benefit from discounted, high-quality, and expeditious
author services. Not only is it essential to ensure that the information within the research work is sound, it is also important to ensure that the writing is grammatically sound, clear, and cohesive. These services include copy editing and proofreading, scientific and scholarly editing, and figure, table, chart, and equation conversions. Taking advantage of these services will increase the overall quality of the chapter and rid it of any flaws that would have prevented the work from being indexed.
Citation Impact
In both Scopus and Web of Science, priority is given to scholarly books which achieve a high citation impact. This impact shows the relevancy of the research to the global academic community. It also demonstrates the network of citation pathways and its potential to further academic research. Thus, authors should be prepared to recommend their work to colleagues and libraries in order to widely disseminate the research and ensure its usage within the academic community.
Please note that because citation impact can oftentimes take a while to generate, it is common for a book to wait 2-3 years for it to be officially accepted into an index.
If you have any questions on how to increase the scope and impact of your book, please contact the Acquisitions Team at
acquisition@igi-global.com.
About IGI Global
Founded in 1988, IGI Global, an international academic publisher, is committed to producing the highest quality research (as an active full member of the Committee on Publication Ethics “COPE”) and ensuring the timely dissemination of innovative research findings through an expeditious and technologically advanced publishing process. Through their commitment to supporting the research community ahead of profitability, and taking a chance on virtually untapped topic coverage, IGI Global has been able to collaborate with over 150,000+ researchers from some of the most prominent research institutions around the world to publish the most emerging, peer-reviewed research across 350+ topics in 11 subject areas including business, computer science, education, engineering, social sciences, and more.
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