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For Immediate Release |
Contact: Todd Kluss |
GSA Journals Top List of Most-Cited Aging Publications
The Gerontological Society of America’s (GSA) three journals continue to be among the highest ranked in their field, according to new impact factor metrics released in the latest issue of Journal Citation Reports: Social Sciences Edition. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences remained at the top of the gerontology category for the second consecutive year, and the Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences and The Gerontologist took the fifth and sixth spots, respectively.
Impact factor is a measure of the frequency with which articles in a journal have been cited during the two preceding years. Journal Citation Reports, one of the most respected publication evaluation tools, is distributed by the Institute of Scientific Information, a division of Thomson Reuters. A strong impact factor indicates the research published in a journal is being widely cited elsewhere, which is often a reflection of the quality of this research. This, in turn, encourages scholars to send their best material to the journal, thereby building on its status.
“These results provide important evidence of the growing influence of our journals on scholarship and science-based knowledge in the field of aging,” said Richard H. Fortinsky, PhD, chair of GSA’s Publications Committee. “We are grateful for the dedicated work of our editors and our publishing partner in attracting, vetting, and publishing the most outstanding research.”
The gerontology category within Journal Citation Reports: Social Sciences Edition contains 30 publications. To help keep its place at first on the list, the impact factor for the Journals of Gerontology Series A rose from 3.988 in 2010 to 4.598 in 2011. The Journals of Gerontology Series B, which ranked fifth, climbed three positions since last year — moving from 1.963 in 2010 to 2.615 in 2011, representing a 33 percent increase in impact factor. The Gerontologist again held the sixth spot, with its impact factor jumping from 2.315 in 2010 to 2.481 in 2011. These three GSA journals are published by Oxford University Press (OUP).
“Only rarely does one have the satisfaction of witnessing a dedicated campaign translate directly into tangible result,” said OUP President and Academic Publisher Niko Pfund. “The dramatic increase in the impact factor of GSA’s publications speaks not only to the demonstrable relevance of GSA's mission but to the effective efforts of scholars and researchers publishing in GSA journals, and of GSA staff, in translating that mission into action.”
The Gerontologist and both Journals of Gerontology offer free electronic tables of contents, advance access updates, and keyword alerts through Oxford’s My Account service. Visit www.oxfordjournals.org/register to sign up.
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The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is the nation's oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. The principal mission of the Society — and its 5,400+ members — is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public. GSA’s structure also includes a policy institute, the National Academy on an Aging Society, and an educational branch, the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.
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Mildred M. Seltzer Distinguished Service Recognition
Presented to C. Joanne Grabinski, PhD, Eastern Michigan University, and Mary Alice Wolf, PhD, Saint Joseph University.
This award honors colleagues who are near retirement or recently retired. Recipients are individuals who have been actively involved in AGHE through service on committees, as elected officers, and/or have provided leadership in one of AGHE’s grant-funded projects.
Administrative Leadership Award
Presented to Tammy M. Bray, PhD, Oregon State University
This award honors administrators on AGHE member campuses who have made exceptional efforts in support of gerontology or geriatrics education.
David A. Peterson Gerontology & Geriatrics Education Best Paper of the Volume Award
Presented to Nina M. Silverstein, PhD, University of Massachusetts Boston; Elizabeth Johns, MS, University of Massachusetts Boston; and Judith A. Griffin, MA, MS, University of Massachusetts Boston, for the article “Students Explore Livable Communities.” Honorable mention is given to Emily J. Robbins, MS, Miami University; Jennifer M. Kinney, PhD, Miami University; and Cary S. Kart, PhD, Miami University, for the article “Promoting Active Engagement in Health Research: Lessons Learned from an Undergraduate Gerontology Capstone Course.”
The purpose of this award is to recognize excellence in scholarship in academic gerontology in AGHE’s official journal, Gerontology & Geriatrics Education.
Graduate Student Paper Award
Presented to Deborah Gray, MBA, University of Massachusetts Boston, for the paper “Weight and Wealth: The Relationship between Obesity and Net Worth for Pre-Retirement Age Men and Women.”
This award acknowledges excellence in scholarly work conducted by an AGHE Annual Meeting student attendee.
Book Award for Best Children’s Literature on Aging
Presented to Caitlin Dale Nicholson and Leona Morinn-Nelson for “Niwechihaw/I help” in the primary reader (pre-K to 2nd grade) category, and Ann Grifalconi and Jerry Pickney for “Ain’t Nobody A Stranger to Me” in the elementary reader (3rd to 5th grade) category.
This award recognizes portrayals of meaningful aging in children’s literature.