In your academic endeavors, you will often come across many scientific or research journals. Imagine them like books on a library shelf, each with their own special code. This code is called an ISSN, and it is like a unique ID for these journals. As you explore academic articles, knowing about the ISSN can make things easier for you.
Understanding the ISSN
The ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) is an international, 8-digit long identification number for journals, magazines, and other serial publications. It is typically displayed in the upper right hand corner of the cover, or on the editorial information pages of the publication. It takes the form of the acronym ISSN followed by two groups of four digits, separated by a hyphen. An example would be ISSN 2049-3630. The first seven digits serve as the title number and the eighth is a check digit.
This standard was drafted in 1971, and published for the first time in 1975 by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization), which is dedicated to making universal standards and also regulates the standard for the ISBN. It is now managed by the ISSNs International Center under the license of the ISO and has been revised regularly. A notable revision occurred in 2007, expanding the scope of the ISSN to encompass all continuing resources like databases and websites.
The ISSN does not record characteristics like language or publisher as the ISBN does. Because serial publications are expected to constantly deliver new issues, which could complicate things, the digital code of the ISSN is only associated with the title of the publication and does not hold any intrinsic meaning. If the title changes, a new ISSN must be assigned. For example, since the word “abnormal” has increasing negative connotations, the Journal of Abnormal Psychology therefore changed to Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science with a new ISSN 2769-7541 in 2022.
Practical use of the ISSN
Read Online Journals
DKU Library provides access to a vast collection of electronic journals. If you’re searching for a specific journal, you can use the ISSN to limit your results.
- Step One: Find and click on the Online Journal Titles section from the DKU Library homepage.
- Step Two: From the Online Journal Titles search bar, filter searches by ISSN numbers.
- Step Three: From this search the results should return the journal that is associated with this ISSN.
Evaluate Journal Quality
Besides searching for journals online, the ISSN can be a valuable tool in assessing the quality of journals through various ranking systems. Here we can take the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) on the Web of Science as an example.
- Step One: Click Web of Science under Find Research Databases.
- Step Two: Access Journal Citation Reports under Products in the upper right hand corner of the homepage of WoS.
- Step Three: Enter the ISSN number and search, you can see the rankings of the journal by scrolling down.
Note: When searching with ISSNs, remember to include the hyphen in between to validate the search string. In some cases, if no result is found, it might be because the journal is not collected or not recognized by the Web of Science.
This tool helps you evaluate journals based on factors like impact factor, citation analysis, and more. Referring to these metrics allows you to make informed decisions about the reliability and impact of the journals you consult.
Knowing about ISSNs and using them correctly can make researching faster, easier, and more accurate. Next time you dive into your work, give the ISSN a try!
[References]
American Library Association. (2022, June 28). ISBN and ISSN Systems: General Information and Resources. https://libguides.ala.org/isbn-issn/home
Encyclopædia Britannica. (2024). International Standard Serial Number (ISSN). Britannica Academic. https://academic-eb-com.proxy.lib.duke.edu/levels/collegiate/article/International-Standard-Serial-Number/42608
John Wiley & Sons. (2022, June 17). ISBN, ISSN, DOI: what they are and how to find them. https://www.wiley.com/en-us/network/publishing/research-publishing/writing-and-conducting-research/isbn-issn-doi-what-they-are-and-how-to-find-them
International Standard Serial Number. (n.d.). What is an ISSN? ISSN International Centre. https://www.issn.org/understanding-the-issn/what-is-an-issn/
Library of Congress. (2022, March 1). ISSN is for Serials and other Continuing Resources. https://www.loc.gov/issn/basics/basics-brochure-serials.html
MacDonald, A. W. III, Goodman, S. H., & Watson, D. (2021). The Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science is the future of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology: An editorial. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 130(1), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000665
Romano Reynolds, R., & Hanson, M. (2017). Revising the ISSN Standard: The Challenge of Change. The Serials Librarian, 72(1-4), 172-176. https://doi.org/10.1080/0361526X.2017.1320870
Production | DKU Library
Content | Cai Yan, Sophia Hanani, Faith Anderson
Editing & Layout | Cai Yan
Review | Mengjie Zou
