Does stable content coverage mean that a Scopus journal is guaranteed to be safe from being discontinued? Not necessarily. Many people assume that journals with a consistent number of published articles and no sudden publication spikes are relatively safe from discontinuation. However, stable content coverage is not the only factor that determines whether a journal will continue to be covered by Scopus.
1. Why Is Stable Content Coverage Considered Safe?
This perception is actually quite understandable. If the number of articles published by a journal appears stable over time, the journal is often considered to have a normal publication pattern. In contrast, a sudden increase in the number of articles can be one of the signals that needs attention.
Scopus itself monitors journals that have already been indexed. The evaluation may consider various factors, including publication quality, publication patterns, citations, publication integrity, and indications of unusual performance.
2. So, What Can Cause a Journal to Be Discontinued?
Discontinuation is not simply a matter of the number of articles increasing drastically. A journal may undergo reevaluation if there are concerns about publication standards, research integrity, or publication performance that is considered unusual. Scopus also carries out ongoing curation and evaluation through the Content Selection and Advisory Board (CSAB).
This means that even a journal with stable content coverage can still be discontinued if there are other issues that raise concerns during the evaluation process.
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3. Does Paying a High APC Make a Journal Safe?
This is something that is often misunderstood. Paying an APC, even a high one, does not guarantee that a journal will remain covered by Scopus.
Decisions regarding coverage fall under Scopus policies and evaluation processes. Authors, publication service providers, and publishers cannot guarantee that a journal will always remain safe from discontinuation. In fact, Scopus officially states that journals that have already been accepted can be reevaluated, and their coverage may be discontinued based on the results of the evaluation.
Therefore, before choosing a journal, do not only look at whether its content coverage is stable or how much APC you have to pay. Also check the journal’s status regularly through official Scopus sources. Scopus source lists and discontinued sources lists are updated periodically.
Ultimately, no one can provide an absolute guarantee that a Scopus journal will be free from discontinuation. What you can do is choose journals carefully, understand the risks, and check their status based on official Scopus information.
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