A Critique of the Impact Factor and Ramifications of its Misuse in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: The Real Impact of the Impact Factor

The impact factor (IF) is used to compare the number of citations of a journal with its number of publications. Though first used to assess the significance of various journals, its very creator has stated it is an imperfect system. Presently, the IF overvalues the importance of large-readership journals and undervalues that of smaller more specialized journals. While no metric can serve as a perfect assessment of a journal's worth, it is vital when selecting journals for publication, resource allocation, funding, or citation to not only weigh the IF of a large-volume journal, but also the added value of lower IF but also effective specialized subspecialty journals. Financial Disclosure: None of the authors has a financial interest in any of the products, devices, or drugs mentioned in this manuscript. Corresponding Author: Oluwaseun A. Adetayo, MD FACS FAAP, Assistant Professor, Plastic Surgery, Section Chief, Pediatric Plastic Surgery, Director, Cleft-Craniofacial Center, Albany Medical Center & The Bernard & Millie Duker Children's Hospital at Albany Medical Center, 50 New Scotland Avenue, MC- 190, Albany, NY 12208, Phone: (518) 262-2229, Fax: (518) 262-6358, Email: Adetayo.md@gmail.com ©2018American Society of Plastic Surgeons