Introduction:
Whether you’re a researcher, a student, or a journalist verifying the credibility and authenticity of your journal and checking to see if it’s listed in the ISI Master Journal list is a crucial step. This journal list is managed by Clarivate Analytics, a trusted directory. Being listed is seen as a key component of academic quality and authenticity. However, the question arises: how does one confirm whether the journal is included or not? A question you would not need to wonder when employing Fast Publication’s services, where our experts verify the journal’s inclusions without you needing to make an effort for it.
This guide will help you determine if your journal is included in the ISI master journal list.
.What is the ISI Master Journal List?
Before we dive into the verification we must know what exactly is ISI Master Journal List this list was originally managed by the Institute of Scientific Information later on was given to Thomson Reuters and now is handled by Clarivate Analytics which nowadays manages Web Of Science which is considered to be one of the most prestigious citation databases Thie ISI is now part of it. Journals listed here are indexed in various categories of the Web of Science Core Collection, such as:
- Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE)
- Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE)
- Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI)
- Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI)
Importance of Verifying the Journal:
Creates Academic credibility:
When you verify your journal’s inclusion from ISI, it creates a great impact on the credibility of your research is deemed more authentic, and increases the audience reach.
Quality assurance:
When you verify your journal, it ensures that the journal is well-written and meets high-quality standards, thus making your work more credible. It also reduces the risk of predatory journals and plagiarism.
Advancement in career:
Writing a journal that is verified can help you skyrocket in your career and give you tons of career opportunities and many academic institutions, and funding bodies also require ISI-indexed journals.
Research funding:
Institutions and funding bodies usually prefer research journals with proper verification that ensures quality and credibility.
How to verify a journal in the ISI Master Journal List:
Step 1:
Check out the official website
The simplest way to verify your journal is to go to https://mjl.clarivate.com/ this is the most updated and reliable source.
Step 2:
Use the Search bar:
If you go to the homepage, there is a search function that can help you find your desired journal using any of the following:
- Full Journal Title (most accurate)
- ISSN (International Standard Serial Number)
- Publisher’s Name (if title or ISSN is unavailable)
Step 3:
Analyze your search results:
- If the journal is indexed, it will appear in the search results, and detailed information will be shown.
- The journal will also specify which WOS Web of Science indices are included in the journal.
- Using the search results you can also see the the years of coverage, publisher details subject categories, and even the factor history sometimes.
Step 4:
Confirm journal status and science coverage:
To check if the journal is indexed, look for the keywords “Exact Match Found,” which indicates the journal has been indexed. The search usually returns partial matches In that case, verify carefully if that exact journal is listed or not.
In case no results are found that indicate that the journal is not indexed in the ISI Master Journal List.
Step 5:
Double-check the status of the index:
In some cases, the journals are indexed for only a limited period. Check the “Coverage Start Year” and “Coverage End Year” to confirm if the journal is indexed currently or dropped in the past. For instance:
Coverage: 2015–present means it is still active.
Coverage: 2010–2018 means it is no longer listed.
Things to Avoid and additional tips to keep in mind:
Don’t blindly trust journal websites.
Many journals claim that their journal is ISI indexed but that is not always the case it is necessary to always verify and cross-check to see the credibility and authenticity of the journal.
Beware of predatory journals:
Journals being indexed indicates its legitimacy however beware of predatory journals that make false claims so it is necessary to verify the editorial practices and peer review.
Cross-reference using other databases:
Another way to detect if the journal is actually authentic as its publisher’s claim is to cross reference using databases like Scopus or DOAJ these are some of the most prestigious databases and can help you verify within a span of seconds.
Understand the evaluation criteria:
It is also crucial to assess the journal from a broader perspective it is necessary to educate oneself with the 28 evaluation criteria that are used by Clarivate.
Mistakes to avoid:
Using search engines like Google or Bing may lead you to fake lists or unofficial lists
Assuming a fancy name means it has credibility and authenticity.
Avoid confusing ISI with Scopus, which is a common mistake people make. Scopus is a different database, and a journal being indexed there doesn’t mean it is ISI-indexed.
Fast Publications helps you avoid these common pitfalls and polishes your journal using their expertise.
Example walkthrough:
If you want to check if a journal of dentistry is on the ISI Master Journal list or not then follow the following steps:
- Go to https://mjl.clarivate.com/.
- Then type “Journal of Dentistry” in the search box.
- Under the Web of Science coverage, you will see:
- Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE)
- Coverage: 1999–present
That confirms it is ISI-indexed and currently active.
Verifying whether a journal is listed in the ISI Master Journal is a crucial task for any person who is involved in academic publishing as the credibility of your journal is necessary and using an official Master Journal List search confirming WOB and doing cross references on databases like Scopus can help you be confident that the journal is indexed and keep in mind to not rely on secondhand claims and beware of any predatory journals that make false claims. This verification not only safeguards your reputation but also helps you skyrocket your career and enhances the reach and impact of your journal
This additional level of verification may seem like a lot of effort, which is exactly where Fast Publications’ services come in. Our experts verify the journal inclusion in the ISI Master journal list, polish and verify the content, and much more, making your life easier.



