Google, the change of paradigm of the scientific metrics

Abstract

The spanish journals that appear in the second quartile of Google Scholar Metrics (GSM) are not listed in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR). There are serious differences and one big coincidence between these two databases: they both belong to very large multinational information companies, Google and Thomson Reuters, whose sources of income are very different. While the access to Google Scholar Metrics is currently free, Thomson Reuters charges people high fees to access its databases. In fact, Spain paid almost 1.5 million euro in 2008, more than 3 millions in 2011, and a total of 25 million from 2005 to 2008. This article examines the differences between these two databases, the negative effects of the dominance of Thomson Reuters as the leading source of information to evaluate journals on the Spanish journals, and the potential benefits that the public recognition of Google Scholar Metrics could bring to the academia. Once again, the public service is against the interests of the market and the Spanish scientific lobbying which bets on the market and blocks out national initiatives.