[Citation analysis of published articles in the Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine in the period of 2000-2004].

OBJECTIVE: To identify and analyze the scientific level and quality of the articles published in Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine.

METHOD: Using the database of the Chinese Medical Citation Index (CMCI), the numbers and distribution of the cited original articles in Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine from 2000 to 2004 were analyzed according to the method of citation analysis.

RESULT: The percentage of cited papers in all the published articles was 47.10% during the period, the average times of citation of an original article by other researchers is 4.30 and the top cited frequency was 133. There were 250 articles being cited 5 or more (25.43% of the total papers), and the times of citation from them were 2834 (67.01% of the total). 983 cited articles were written by 845 authors from different countries. The author of the most frequently cited articles wrote 6 papers and the authors with one cited paper were 751 (88.88% of all the authors). The cited authors were from 31 municipalities and provinces as well as from other countries. Beijing, Guangdong and Shanghai were in the front of the list of places with authors being frequently cited. Beijing was the top of the rank (44.74% of total authors). There were 266 institutes cited and the most frequently cited institute was Peking Union Medical College Hospital of Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. There were 685 citing journals and the self-citing rate is 3.52%.

CONCLUSIONS: The Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine has published high quality articles. As a core medical journal, it is the one of the most important information resources for the medical researchers.