Is ranking universities by scientific journals accurate?

In summary, a student is considering studying physics and wants to know which universities to apply to. They found a web page that ranks universities based on scientific journals, but it is important to also consider other factors, such as teaching quality and career goals. It is not necessary to attend a top-ranked school at the undergraduate level in order to have success in graduate studies.
  • #1
XXdarkbiowingXX
2
0
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
No ranking method is perfect, so I would recommend seeing where the schools you are considering are ranked by several independent sources.

For seniors in the US with strong academic records, I tend to recommend applying to schools in the top 100. For students with ACT scores above 32 or so, I recommend applying to at least 1 or 2 schools in the top 30.
 
  • #3
Leaving off the question of whether the estimate of research excellence is accurate, what you have there is an estimate of research excellence, as opposed to overall how good the university is, or how good they are at teaching.

Picking your university is more heavily influenced by what you want to do after your BSc. If you have decided you are interested in academia, or a big-name lab some place, then those schools that are excellent in research are good targets. Academics, who are strongly interested in research, are going to be more likely to want a grad student who studied at a "big research" school. And universities are likely to want to hire somebody who did a PhD at one of those "big research" schools.

If you want to go to industry after university, then you have other things to consider.

Get yourself some mags like Physics Today and similar. These are the "happy gossip" mags telling who got hired, what department expanded, etc. Find the issue that tells where grads from each school got hired. Also, Google for this information. If grads from a given school got jobs that make you smile, consider applying to those schools. If their jobs bore you or worse, drive on by.
 
  • Like
Likes XXdarkbiowingXX
  • #4
Thanks, I am still not sure if I want to continue education or go to industry after university. I am hoping that I will figure that out after i finish my bachelors degree.
 
  • #5
XXdarkbiowingXX said:
I am going to be a senior this year and I am considering on studying physics. I want to know what universities to apply to. I found a web page that shows universities ranked by scientific journals. A couple response would be nice.

Link to web
page- http://www.excellencemapping.net/#/...field/physics-and-astronomy/significant/false

Just to be clear, "scientific journals" do not rank universities. Scientific journals publish scientific papers. There are no university rankings to be regularly found in Nature, Science, PRL, etc.

Secondly, there is an over-emphasis (at least in this forum) of seeking "brand-name" schools at the undergraduate level. If you do very well even in a smaller, less well-known school, it will not hinder you into going to top-notch schools for your graduate studies, if that is your aim.

Zz.
 

1. Is ranking universities by scientific journals an accurate measure of their research quality?

While ranking universities by scientific journals can provide some insight into the research output of a university, it is not always an accurate measure of research quality. This is because the number of publications does not necessarily reflect the impact or significance of the research.

2. How are scientific journals typically ranked?

Scientific journals are often ranked based on their impact factor, which is a measure of the average number of citations received by articles published in the journal. This is calculated by dividing the total number of citations by the total number of articles published in a specific time period. The higher the impact factor, the more prestigious the journal is considered.

3. Are all scientific journals considered equally reputable?

No, not all scientific journals are considered equally reputable. Some journals have a higher impact factor and are more selective in the articles they publish, while others may have a lower impact factor and publish a wider range of research. It is important to critically evaluate the reputation and credibility of a journal before considering it as a measure of a university's research quality.

4. Are there other factors that should be considered when ranking universities for their research?

Yes, there are other factors that should be considered when ranking universities for their research. These can include the number of patents and inventions produced, the amount of research funding received, and the impact of the research on society and industry. It is important to use a combination of measures to get a more comprehensive understanding of a university's research quality.

5. Can the ranking of universities by scientific journals change over time?

Yes, the ranking of universities by scientific journals can change over time. This is because the impact factor of a journal can change from year to year, and universities may also increase or decrease their research output and quality. It is important to regularly reassess and update rankings to accurately reflect the current state of research at universities.

Similar threads

Schools Question About Relevance of a HBSc degree at UofT Compared to US Universities
    • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
23
Views
835
Admissions PhD Programs for Mathematical Physics (Experimental Condensed Matter Physics)
    • STEM Academic Advising
4
Replies
115
Views
7K
BSc Physics: University Options for a second bachelor's degree
    • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
20
Views
407
Schools Which University should I go to for my undergrad in physics?
    • STEM Academic Advising
3
Replies
82
Views
1K
What and how to study for a pure maths education at university?
    • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
22
Views
939
Admissions Curious about my grad school prospects
    • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
3
Views
960
Schools Confused about the importance of departmental rankings
    • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
12
Views
2K
Is University reputation considered when I am applying for a PhD in Europe?
    • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
2
Views
835
Admissions Pass/Fail Last Semester and Grad School Opinion
    • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
9
Views
1K
Admissions Exploring the Universe: Pursuing a PhD in High Energy Physics
    • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
8
Views
973

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top