Medical Research Archives Impact Factor
The Medical Research Archives (MRA) does not have a Journal Impact Factor (IF), and this is by design. As a proud supporter of The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), we believe that research quality should be evaluated based on the scientific merit of individual articles rather than the perceived prestige of the journal in which they are published.
Why We Don’t Have an Impact Factor
The Impact Factor, while historically used as a measure of journal quality, has significant limitations when applied to evaluating individual research papers or researchers. DORA has highlighted how the misuse of the IF can create unintended biases in research assessment and can incentivize researchers to focus on publishing in high-impact journals rather than conducting rigorous, meaningful research.
At Medical Research Archives, we prioritize the scientific content and methodological rigor of submissions over metrics that may not accurately reflect research quality or impact.
What is DORA?
The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) emerged from the 2012 American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting as a response to concerns about how research quality was being evaluated. According to pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, DORA advocates for considering “the value and impact of all research outputs (including datasets and software) in addition to research publications” and emphasizes that “the scientific content of a paper is much more important than publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which it was published.”
Key DORA Principles:
- Evaluate research on its own merits: Focus on the scientific content rather than where it’s published
- Consider diverse research outputs: Value datasets, software, and other contributions beyond traditional papers
- Use multiple impact measures: Include qualitative indicators such as influence on policy and practice
- Reduce emphasis on Journal Impact Factor: Move away from using JIF as the primary measure of research quality
As sfdora.org notes, DORA has “achieved considerable success in advancing reform of assessment practices” and continues to provide guidance on responsible use of various research indicators, including the h-index, citation counts, and altmetrics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How can I evaluate the quality of research published in MRA without an Impact Factor?
A: Focus on the content of individual articles. Look at the methodology, sample size, peer review process, and relevance to your field. Consider how the research contributes to scientific knowledge rather than relying on journal-level metrics.
Q: Will publishing in MRA hurt my career prospects?
A: Increasingly, institutions are adopting DORA principles in their evaluation processes. Many universities and funding bodies now emphasize the quality and impact of individual research contributions rather than journal prestige. As highlighted by sfdora.org, there’s a growing recognition that “when quantitative measures have an outsized impact on how people are rewarded, it can increase the temptation to focus on a narrow set of activities.”
Q: How does MRA ensure research quality without traditional metrics?
A: We maintain rigorous peer review standards and focus on methodological soundness, ethical conduct, and scientific contribution. Our editorial board evaluates submissions based on their scientific merit, not on predicted citation potential.
Q: What should I include in my CV or tenure application?
A: Highlight the significance of your research findings, their practical applications, and their contribution to your field. Include metrics like downloads, citations to individual papers, and real-world impact rather than focusing solely on journal impact factors.
Supporting Responsible Research Assessment
By choosing not to pursue an Impact Factor, Medical Research Archives joins a growing movement of journals and institutions committed to more meaningful evaluation of scientific research. We encourage our authors and readers to focus on the substance of research rather than superficial metrics.
For more information about DORA and responsible research assessment practices, visit the full San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment.
Join us in promoting research evaluation that truly reflects scientific quality and societal impact.