JCR vs MJL: Which Should You Check When Selecting a Journal?

Did you know that a journal with a high Impact Factor could actually be under investigation?

Selecting the right journal is a critical decision for researchers. Many choose journals based solely on Impact Factor, but being aware of a journal’s editorial integrity and trustworthiness is equally important.

Clarivate offers two primary platforms—JCR and MJL—that provide complementary information for different purposes. Let’s explore the differences between them and understand why checking both is essential.

What Are JCR and MJL?

JCR (Journal Citation Reports)

JCR is Clarivate’s premium, subscription-based service that focuses specifically on citation metrics. It provides the following information for journals indexed in Web of Science:

Impact Factor (the primary measure of a journal’s influence)
Quartile Ranking (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4)
Citation Data (citation statistics)
Various Bibliometric Indicators

JCR is primarily used to evaluate journal quality and prestige based on citation performance.

MJL (Master Journal List)

MJL is Clarivate’s freely accessible comprehensive database that lists all journals included in their products:

Web of Science Core Collection
ESCI (Emerging Sources Citation Index)
Other Clarivate indexes

Beyond basic indexing information, MJL crucially displays journal status warnings and editorial concerns.

Warning Signs Displayed in MJL

1. Journals Under Investigation for Editorial Misconduct

What does this mean?

Clarivate is investigating the journal’s editors or publishers for suspected unethical activities.

Examples include:

Coercing authors into self-citation
Manipulating the peer review process
Demanding excessive fees from authors
Using fake peer reviewers

2. Suppressed Journals (Temporarily Suspended from Indexing)

What does this mean?

The journal has been temporarily removed from Web of Science due to serious policy violations.

What happens?

After the investigation, the journal will either be reinstated or permanently removed
New articles are not indexed during this period
However, previously published articles may remain

3. Journals with Citation Stacking Issues

What does this mean?

Multiple journals are artificially inflating their Impact Factors by citing each other at abnormally high rates.

How does it work?

This is a coordinated fraudulent scheme where journals systematically cite each other’s articles to manipulate metrics. For example, Journal A and Journal B cite each other excessively to boost both their Impact Factors.

4. Historical Changes in Journal Coverage

What does this mean?

A record of which index the journal was previously in and when changes occurred.

Examples:

Transfer from SCIE to ESCI
Complete de-indexing
Transfer from one category to another

This helps understand the journal’s quality trajectory—whether it’s improving or declining.

Key Differences: JCR vs MJL

Feature	JCR	MJL
Access	Subscription required	Completely free
Primary Focus	Citation metrics	Journal status
Impact Factor	✓ Detailed	✗ Not displayed
Quartile Ranking	✓	✗
Warning Signs	✗	✓
Investigation Status	✗	✓
Historical Data	Limited	✓ Complete

Critical Insight for Researchers

MJL serves as a transparency tool showing a journal’s “health status,” while JCR is purely a metrics platform.

Important fact:

A journal may have an Impact Factor in JCR while simultaneously displaying warning signs in MJL indicating an ongoing investigation. In such cases, making decisions based solely on Impact Factor is risky.

Real-World Example

Consider a journal with:

JCR Impact Factor: 5.2 (Q1)
MJL status: “Under investigation for editorial misconduct”

What could happen if you submit a paper to this journal?

The journal could be suppressed after the investigation concludes
Your paper could be removed from the index
This publication could become questionable on your CV in the future

What Should We Do?

Step 1: Check Both Platforms

Before submitting your manuscript, check both platforms because they provide complementary information.

Check JCR for:

Impact Factor
Quartile Ranking
Subject Category
Citation Trends

Check MJL for:

Any warning signs
Indexing status
Historical changes
Current coverage

Step 2: Avoid Journals with Warning Signs

If you see any warnings in MJL:

Journal under investigation → Avoid
Suppressed journal → Definitely avoid
Citation stacking → Suspicious, look for alternatives

Step 3: Analyze Historical Trends

If a journal has:

Dropped from SCIE to ESCI → Quality is declining
Risen from ESCI to SCIE → Quality is improving
Frequent index changes → Unstable

Why Is This More Important Now?

As Clarivate has enhanced its quality control measures and made investigation statuses publicly visible, MJL has become increasingly important.

In recent years:

The number of predatory journals has increased
Citation manipulation has become more sophisticated
Cases of editorial misconduct have risen

Therefore, making decisions based solely on Impact Factor is no longer sufficient.

Quick Checklist: Before Selecting a Journal

Checked Impact Factor in JCR
Confirmed no warnings in MJL
Reviewed the journal’s historical indexing status
Assessed the quality of recently published articles
Verified the peer review process
Confirmed publication fees are reasonable

Links and Resources

JCR: https://jcr.clarivate.com/ (subscription required)
MJL: https://mjl.clarivate.com/ (free)
Web of Science: https://www.webofscience.com/

Summary

Impact Factor is an important metric, but it’s not the only consideration. A journal’s editorial integrity and ethical standards are equally important for your research career.

Remember:

JCR = Shows metrics
MJL = Shows integrity
Both needed = Safe decision

Tip

Don’t rush your journal selection. Take a few minutes to check both JCR and MJL. It will protect the future of your research!

Warning

Caution: A high Impact Factor doesn’t always guarantee a safe journal. If you see warning signs in MJL, avoid that journal!

Citation

BibTeX citation:

@online{abdus_samad2026,
  author = {Abdus Samad, Md},
  title = {JCR Vs {MJL:} {Which} {Should} {You} {Check} {When}
    {Selecting} a {Journal?}},
  date = {2026-02-06},
  url = {https://www.drabdus.com/blog/2026/02/06/jcr-vs-mjl-difference-en/},
  langid = {en}
}

For attribution, please cite this work as:

Abdus Samad, Md. 2026. “JCR Vs MJL: Which Should You Check When Selecting a Journal?” February 6, 2026. https://www.drabdus.com/blog/2026/02/06/jcr-vs-mjl-difference-en/.

--- title: "JCR vs MJL: Which Should You Check When Selecting a Journal?" date: 2026-02-06 description: "When choosing a journal, don't just look at the Impact Factor—verify editorial integrity too. Learn the key differences between JCR and MJL, and why checking both is essential." categories: - research - journal selection - jcr - mjl - impact factor - clarivate citation: true --- **Did you know that a journal with a high Impact Factor could actually be under investigation?** Selecting the right journal is a critical decision for researchers. Many choose journals based solely on Impact Factor, but being aware of a journal's **editorial integrity and trustworthiness** is equally important. Clarivate offers two primary platforms—**JCR** and **MJL**—that provide complementary information for different purposes. Let's explore the differences between them and understand why checking both is essential. ## What Are JCR and MJL? ### JCR (Journal Citation Reports) [JCR](https://jcr.clarivate.com/) is Clarivate's premium, subscription-based service that focuses specifically on citation metrics. It provides the following information for journals indexed in Web of Science: - **Impact Factor** (the primary measure of a journal's influence) - **Quartile Ranking** (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4) - **Citation Data** (citation statistics) - **Various Bibliometric Indicators** JCR is primarily used to evaluate journal quality and prestige **based on citation performance**. ### MJL (Master Journal List) [MJL](https://mjl.clarivate.com/) is Clarivate's **freely accessible** comprehensive database that lists all journals included in their products: - Web of Science Core Collection - ESCI (Emerging Sources Citation Index) - Other Clarivate indexes Beyond basic indexing information, MJL crucially displays **journal status warnings** and **editorial concerns**. ## Warning Signs Displayed in MJL ### 1. Journals Under Investigation for Editorial Misconduct **What does this mean?** Clarivate is investigating the journal's editors or publishers for suspected unethical activities. **Examples include:** - Coercing authors into self-citation - Manipulating the peer review process - Demanding excessive fees from authors - Using fake peer reviewers ### 2. Suppressed Journals (Temporarily Suspended from Indexing) **What does this mean?** The journal has been temporarily removed from Web of Science due to serious policy violations. **What happens?** - After the investigation, the journal will either be reinstated or permanently removed - New articles are not indexed during this period - However, previously published articles may remain ### 3. Journals with Citation Stacking Issues **What does this mean?** Multiple journals are artificially inflating their Impact Factors by citing each other at abnormally high rates. **How does it work?** This is a coordinated fraudulent scheme where journals systematically cite each other's articles to manipulate metrics. For example, Journal A and Journal B cite each other excessively to boost both their Impact Factors. ### 4. Historical Changes in Journal Coverage **What does this mean?** A record of which index the journal was previously in and when changes occurred. **Examples:** - Transfer from SCIE to ESCI - Complete de-indexing - Transfer from one category to another This helps understand the journal's **quality trajectory**—whether it's improving or declining. ## Key Differences: JCR vs MJL | Feature | JCR | MJL | |---------|-----|-----| | **Access** | Subscription required | Completely free | | **Primary Focus** | Citation metrics | Journal status | | **Impact Factor** | ✓ Detailed | ✗ Not displayed | | **Quartile Ranking** | ✓ | ✗ | | **Warning Signs** | ✗ | ✓ | | **Investigation Status** | ✗ | ✓ | | **Historical Data** | Limited | ✓ Complete | ## Critical Insight for Researchers MJL serves as a transparency tool showing a journal's **"health status,"** while JCR is purely a metrics platform. **Important fact:** A journal may have an Impact Factor in JCR while simultaneously displaying warning signs in MJL indicating an **ongoing investigation**. In such cases, making decisions based solely on Impact Factor is risky. ## Real-World Example Consider a journal with: - JCR Impact Factor: 5.2 (Q1) - MJL status: "Under investigation for editorial misconduct" What could happen if you submit a paper to this journal? 1. The journal could be suppressed after the investigation concludes 2. Your paper could be removed from the index 3. This publication could become questionable on your CV in the future ## What Should We Do? ### Step 1: Check Both Platforms Before submitting your manuscript, **check both platforms** because they provide complementary information. **Check JCR for:** - Impact Factor - Quartile Ranking - Subject Category - Citation Trends **Check MJL for:** - Any warning signs - Indexing status - Historical changes - Current coverage ### Step 2: Avoid Journals with Warning Signs If you see any warnings in MJL: - Journal under investigation → Avoid - Suppressed journal → Definitely avoid - Citation stacking → Suspicious, look for alternatives ### Step 3: Analyze Historical Trends If a journal has: - Dropped from SCIE to ESCI → Quality is declining - Risen from ESCI to SCIE → Quality is improving - Frequent index changes → Unstable ## Why Is This More Important Now? As Clarivate has **enhanced its quality control measures** and made investigation statuses publicly visible, MJL has become increasingly important. In recent years: - The number of predatory journals has increased - Citation manipulation has become more sophisticated - Cases of editorial misconduct have risen Therefore, making decisions based solely on Impact Factor is no longer sufficient. ## Quick Checklist: Before Selecting a Journal - [ ] Checked Impact Factor in JCR - [ ] Confirmed no warnings in MJL - [ ] Reviewed the journal's historical indexing status - [ ] Assessed the quality of recently published articles - [ ] Verified the peer review process - [ ] Confirmed publication fees are reasonable ## Links and Resources - **JCR:** [https://jcr.clarivate.com/](https://jcr.clarivate.com/) (subscription required) - **MJL:** [https://mjl.clarivate.com/](https://mjl.clarivate.com/) (free) - **Web of Science:** [https://www.webofscience.com/](https://www.webofscience.com/) ## Summary Impact Factor is an important metric, but it's not the only consideration. A journal's **editorial integrity** and **ethical standards** are equally important for your research career. **Remember:** - JCR = Shows metrics - MJL = Shows integrity - Both needed = Safe decision ::: {.callout-tip} Don't rush your journal selection. Take a few minutes to check both JCR and MJL. It will protect the future of your research! ::: ::: {.callout-warning} **Caution:** A high Impact Factor doesn't always guarantee a safe journal. If you see warning signs in MJL, avoid that journal! :::