Ranking Journals Using Social Science Research Network Downloads

Author: Brown L.D.

Source: Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Volume 20, Number 3, May 2003 , pp. 291-307(17)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

I use a new approach to rank journals, namely the number and percent frequency of articles a journal publishes that are heavily downloaded from the Social Science Research Network (SSRN). I rank 18 accounting and finance journals, and I identify five journals not considered by the two most recent major published ranking studies of publications by accounting faculty, namely (in rank order): Journal of Financial Economics, Review of Accounting Studies, Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Journal of Corporate Finance, and Journal of International Financial Management and Accounting. I show that financial accounting faculties are more likely to post their working papers to SSRN, and papers posted by financial faculties generate more downloads. I mitigate this bias in favor of the financial area by providing separate rankings based on authors in the financial versus non-financial areas.

Keywords: downloads; journal rankings; accounting faculty; social science research network

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: J. Mack Robinson Distinguished Professor of Accountancy, Georgia State University Tel.: 404-651-0545 ldb@gsu.edu

Publication date: 2003-05-01