SCI vs SCIE vs ESCI vs Scopus: what is the difference? On Time Publication Editorial Team Read the full, updated guide: https://www.ontimepublication.com/guides/sci-scie-esci-scopus.html
In short: SCIE, SSCI, AHCI and ESCI are journal indexes in Clarivate's Web of Science Core Collection. "SCI" is the older name for the science index; Clarivate now presents it as Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE). ESCI journals meet Clarivate's quality criteria but not its additional impact criteria. Scopus is a separate database owned by Elsevier.
The short answer Label
Owner
What it is today
SCI
Clarivate The original Science Citation Index (released
Journal metric -
1964). Clarivate's current product pages present the science index as SCIE, with no separate SCI edition. SCIE
Clarivate Science Citation Index Expanded: the Web of Science Core Collection index for science
Journal Impact Factor (JIF)
journals that meet the quality and impact criteria. SSCI /
Clarivate The equivalent Core Collection indexes for social
JIF (arts & humanities
AHCI
sciences and for arts & humanities.
categories have no JIF rank or quartile)
ESCI
Clarivate Emerging Sources Citation Index: Core Collection journals that meet the 24 quality
JIF (since the 2023 JCR release)
criteria but not (yet) the 4 impact criteria. Scopus
Elsevier
A separate abstract and citation database, with
CiteScore; SJR
titles selected by its Content Selection and
(SCImago)
Advisory Board (CSAB).
SCI and SCIE: one index, two names Clarivate says the Web of Science "started with the Science Citation Index which was released in 1964" (Web of Science Core Collection). Today Clarivate's Core Collection editions are listed as Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index, Arts & Humanities Citation Index and Emerging Sources Citation Index, plus conference and book indexes. There is no separate "SCI" edition to choose.
In practice, when a university rule, job advert or journal website says "SCI journal", it usually means a journal in SCIE. If the rule is important to you, for example for promotion, ask the people who wrote it to confirm this in writing.
ESCI: in Web of Science, but not a "flagship" index Clarivate evaluates journals against 28 criteria: 24 quality criteria and 4 impact criteria (Clarivate selection criteria). Journals that meet the quality criteria enter ESCI. Journals that also meet the impact criteria, which mainly look at citation activity, enter SCIE, SSCI or AHCI, which Clarivate calls the "flagship" collections. Three recent changes matter for authors: ESCI journals now have a Journal Impact Factor. Clarivate extended the JIF to AHCI and ESCI journals in 2023 (Clarivate). Rankings are unified. Since the 2024 Journal Citation Reports, the 229 science and social science categories each have a single JIF ranking that includes SCIE, SSCI and ESCI journals, instead of separate edition-based rankings. The arts and humanities categories have no JIF ranking or quartile (Clarivate). New journals start in ESCI. Clarivate currently evaluates new submissions on the quality criteria only, and selected journals are added to ESCI. ESCI journals can move up to a flagship index when their citation impact supports it, and flagship journals can move down to ESCI. Clarivate says it currently reevaluates only a small group of high-ranking ESCI journals for impact after each JCR release (Clarivate). So ESCI is part of the Web of Science Core Collection, and its journals pass the same quality checks. But many institutions still distinguish ESCI from SCIE or SSCI in their rules.
Scopus: a separate database Scopus belongs to Elsevier, not Clarivate. A journal suggested to Scopus must meet technical criteria, including peer review, a registered ISSN, English titles and abstracts, and a public publication-ethics statement. It is then reviewed by the CSAB on journal policy, content, standing, publishing regularity and online availability (Scopus content policy). Scopus also re-evaluates indexed journals and can discontinue them. A journal can be in Scopus only, in Web of Science only, in both, or in neither. Always check each database separately. Our guide how to check if a journal is Scopus or Web of Science indexed shows how.
Quartiles: Q1 in one list is not always Q1 in another "Q1" simply means the top 25% of journals in a subject category, but different systems calculate it differently: JCR quartiles (Clarivate) rank journals by Journal Impact Factor within Web of Science science and social science categories (there are no JIF quartiles for arts and humanities categories). Scopus CiteScore percentiles rank journals by CiteScore within Scopus subject areas. SJR quartiles come from SCImago Journal & Country Rank, which uses Scopus data. The same journal can be Q1 in one system and Q2 in another, or different quartiles in two categories. If your rule says "Q1", ask which source and which year it uses.
Which index does your university or ministry accept? We cannot answer that for you, because rules differ between countries, universities, faculties and even between promotion and graduation, and they change. Ask your research office for the current written rule, and check that it answers these questions: 1. Which database or databases count: Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, or both? 2. If Web of Science: does ESCI count, or only SCIE, SSCI and AHCI? 3. Is there a quartile requirement, and is it based on JCR, CiteScore or SJR, and for which year? 4. Does the journal need to be indexed on the date of acceptance or on the date of publication? 5. Are some journals or publishers excluded? Researchers in the Gulf and Jordan can also read our pages for Saudi Arabia and the GCC and Jordan.
Mistakes to avoid Trusting an "SCI-indexed" or "Scopus-indexed" badge on a journal website without checking the official lists. Confusing the Master Journal List's specialty collections (such as Zoological Record or Current Contents Connect) with the Core Collection. Quoting an "impact factor" from an unknown organisation. The Journal Impact Factor is calculated by Clarivate and published in Journal Citation Reports. Assuming a journal's status is permanent. Both Scopus and Clarivate update their lists monthly.
How we can help Send us your institution's rule and your manuscript. Through our journal submission support, we shortlist journals that meet it, with dated Scopus and Web of Science evidence for each one, and we can edit the manuscript before submission. Acceptance is always decided by the journal. Independence: On Time Publication is not affiliated with Elsevier/Scopus, Clarivate/Web of Science, COPE, the ICMJE or any journal. We link to their public guidance so you can check it yourself.
Frequently asked questions Is SCI still used? The label is still widely used, but Clarivate's current Web of Science Core Collection presents the science index as Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE). When a rule says SCI, it usually means SCIE; confirm with your institution.
Is ESCI part of Web of Science? Yes. ESCI is one of the journal indexes in the Web of Science Core Collection. Its journals meet Clarivate's 24 quality criteria but have not met the additional impact criteria for SCIE, SSCI or AHCI.
Do ESCI journals have an impact factor? Yes. Clarivate extended the Journal Impact Factor to ESCI and AHCI journals in 2023, and since 2024 ESCI journals are included in the unified JIF rankings for science and social science categories.
Is Scopus better than Web of Science? Neither is simply better. They are separate databases with their own selection processes and metrics. What matters is which one your university, funder or employer requires.
Can a journal be in both Scopus and Web of Science? Yes. Many journals are in both, but some are in only one. Check each database separately using the Scopus Sources list and Clarivate's Master Journal List.
Why is a journal Q1 in Scopus but Q2 in JCR? The quartiles use different metrics and category schemes: JCR uses the Journal Impact Factor, while Scopus uses CiteScore and SCImago uses SJR. Ask which source your rule uses.
Does my university accept ESCI journals? It depends on your institution's current written rule. Some accept any Web of Science Core Collection journal; others require SCIE or SSCI. Ask your research office.
Sources and further reading We link to official sources so you can check the rules yourself. Always follow your target journal's and institution's current instructions. Web of Science Core Collection, Clarivate Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), Clarivate Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Clarivate Journal evaluation process and selection criteria, Clarivate Journal Citation Reports 2024: Simplifying journal evaluation, Clarivate 2024 Journal Citation Reports: changes in JIF category rankings, Clarivate Master Journal List, Clarivate Scopus content policy and selection (CSAB, re-evaluation, discontinuation), Elsevier Scopus Sources (free source title search), Elsevier SCImago Journal & Country Rank (SJR, based on Scopus data)
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