Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 Journals: Check the Metric, Category and Year
Read journal quartiles correctly by identifying the metric provider, subject category and metric year, without treating rank as a paper-quality verdict.
A quartile belongs to a particular ranking
A journal quartile groups journals within a specified ranking and subject category. Q1 denotes the upper group and Q4 the lower group in that ranking. Before using the label, ask: which metric, which provider, which category and which year? “Q1 journal” without those details is incomplete evidence.
A journal can have different ranks in different subject categories or years. Different metric systems can also produce different results. This does not automatically mean that a journal or database is misrepresenting its standing; first establish whether the comparison uses the same measure and coverage.
Keep CiteScore, SJR and JIF separate
Scopus describes its journal metrics including CiteScore, SJR and SNIP. They are distinct measures. A Scopus CiteScore percentile is not interchangeable with an SJR rank. Clarivate’s Journal Citation Reports guidance explains a different system that includes Journal Impact Factor and category rankings.
Do not combine a journal’s best result from one provider with another provider’s name. Record the metric exactly as shown in the official source, together with the journal title and ISSN. A journal’s indexing status, current coverage and metric value are separate checks.
Understand what quartiles cannot establish
A journal-level citation metric does not establish the quality of an individual paper or guarantee rigorous review of every submission. Q4 does not, by itself, establish deception. Q1 does not guarantee that a paper fits the journal, that fees are suitable or that your institution will accept the output for a particular assessment.
Quartile groups need not contain exactly identical numbers of journals when ranks are tied. Clarivate explains how ties affect JCR ranks and quartiles. Avoid calculating a supposed universal quartile from an isolated citation count.
Worked source-matching example
Illustrative example: a journal website says “Q1”, but the record you find is Q2. Compare the ISSN, provider, subject category and metric year before concluding the claim is false. It may refer to a different year or category. If the journal cannot identify the source for its claim, record it as unresolved rather than quietly choosing the more favourable number.
Keep a dated screenshot or saved record alongside the direct official link. If your university requires a specific metric year or indexing period, obtain that rule from the university. Recheck close to submission or appraisal; do not reuse an undated screenshot as current proof.
Sources and review notes
Reviewed 9 October 2026. Worked examples labelled illustrative are not assessments of named events, journals or institutions.