Many academic decision makers rely on quantified ranking measures to estimate the quality of journal publications. The aim of this study was to map journals in Information Systems (IS) with regard to their topic and their rank and determine whether there is a relationship between the scope of a journal and its rank. The study used content analysis, applying both qualitative and quantitative methods. The results of the analysis show the existence of relationships between the journal rank, the research area, and the type as well as significant differences in ranking on the three lists. The findings illustrate that ranking measures, as indicators for the quality of research published in a journal ought to be considered only in the context of a particular research area and scientific community.

Many academic decision makers rely on quantified ranking measures to estimate the quality of journal publications. The aim of this study was to map journals in Information Systems (IS) with regard to their topic and their rank and determine whether there is a relationship between the scope of a journal and its rank. The study used content analysis, applying both qualitative and quantitative methods. The results of the analysis show the existence of relationships between the journal rank, the research area, and the type as well as significant differences in ranking on the three lists. The findings illustrate that ranking measures, as indicators for the quality of research published in a journal ought to be considered only in the context of a particular research area and scientific community.