Proposal for evaluating the quality and functioning of Scientific Journals in Health Sciences

Abstract

Introduction:  At present, Cuba has more than 50 titles of scientific journals in Health Sciences, which are classified as Scientific Journals according to the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment.  However, maintaining the quality of the publications and the perspectives that can rise to a global positioning becomes difficult if there is not a permanent evaluation system. Objective: To design a proposal on evaluation indicators to measure the functioning and quality of the Cuban journals in Health Sciences, which will contribute to achieve consistency with the best publications at an international level. Results: Evaluation systems of several databases were analyzed, which were considered as a basis of universal criteria; also, adaptations to the Cuban context were made.  A model divided into three axes with 28 indicators was obtained. The proposal is developed for its implementation in the first stage of evaluation, which shall continue to grow up as the indicators start consolidating. Conclusions: A proposal of indicators for evaluating the functioning and the quality of Cuban journals in Health Sciences was designed on the basis of criteria of informative quality, and the quality of the editorial process and the scientific publication, which will contribute to achieve a harmony with the best publications at international level.

Keywords: evaluation studies, electronic journals, quality, functioning, indicators.