Bibliometric analysis and evaluation of the journal Medicina Oral Patología Oral y Cirugía Bucal (2008-2018)

BACKGROUND: In 2008 the journal Medicina Oral Patología Oral y Cirugía Bucal was included in Journal Citation Reports. To appraise its evolution and current status, this study carried out a bibliometric analysis and evaluation of the journal for the period 2008-2018. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From the Web of Science, Journal Citation Reports we obtained the indicators Journal Impact Factor (JIF), 5-year JIF, JIF without self-cites, Eigenfactor score and Article Influence score (2010-2017); and from the Core Collection database the following variables: number and article types, institutions and countries of origin of the authors (2008-2018), and the variable cited and citing journal data in 2017. Twelve articles/year (n=132) were randomly selected to gather: the time between submittal and acceptance of an article, number of authors/article, representation of each section, gender of first author, and funding. RESULTS: The journal occupied the third quartile of the JCR from 2010 to 2017, when it moved up to the second quartile. From 2008 to 2018 it published a total of 1,518 documents, 90% articles and 9.5% reviews. Sixty countries were represented, 48.68% of the documents coming from Spain, and overall 1,293 institutions were involved. Between submittal and acceptance of articles, the average time was 134.42 days, without differences between years. The mean of authors/article was 5.15, increasing over time. The sections most represented were Oral Medicine and Pathology, and Oral Surgery. There were no differences regarding the gender of the first author, and in general the authors did not provide information about funding received. CONCLUSIONS: The bibliometric results indicate a steadily improving position of this journal, along with a tendency to reduce self-citation. The time between reception of an article and its acceptance was very stable, the number of authors per article showed an increase, and there was a nearly equal representation of males and females as the first author. Key words:Bibliometrics, Journal Impact Factor, Web of Science, gender.