What does the impact factor of a journal indicate?

The impact factor of a journal is a measure that reflects the average number of citations to articles published in that journal over a specific period, usually two or three years. It essentially indicates how often articles in the journal are cited in other research, serving as a proxy for the journal’s influence and prestige within the academic community. A higher impact factor suggests that the journal's articles are frequently referenced and deemed valuable by other researchers, implying a level of trust and quality associated with the published work.

In contrast, the number of articles published, the number of authors collaborating, and the geographic reach of the journal do not directly relate to the impact factor. While these factors may contribute to a journal's reputation or visibility, they do not provide insight into how often its articles are cited, which is the key focus of the impact factor metric.