<commit_before>---
title: Journal impact factors???
categories:
- thoughts
header:
   overlay_color: "#5e616c"
   overlay_image: citation.png
   overlay_filter: .8
   teaser: citation.png
tags:
- sociology
- the academy
- publication
author: John_Joseph
excerpt: Wherein I relate formal theorists to carnivorous mustelids.
pinned: false
---

Theoretical physicists cluster with [honey badgers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg)[^citeHB] as far as [Journal Impact Factors](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_factor) are concerned.  Such intestinal fortitude's a possible result of lots of players, few seats, and long songs in our game of academic musical chairs.

**Standard `quick note' disclaimer: This is almost entirely stream
of consciousness analysis with all the incident depth, insight, consistency, and
utility one can expect.**

Every so often I notice a flurry of discussion among my scientist
friends on twitter.

> "Impact factors are no basis for a career; young folks shouldn't pay attention -- worry about the **quality** of the research!"

This is so *manifestly correct* it's hard to imagine anyone can question it. If you
try to even have this conversation with a theoretical physicist it just falls on the floor
-- there's no interest in debating it at all.  I'm going to take a minute or two to poke at
why.

<commit_msg>whoops<commit_after>---
title: Journal impact factors???
categories:
- thoughts
header:
   overlay_color: "#5e616c"
   overlay_image: citation.png
   overlay_filter: .8
   teaser: citation.png
tags:
- sociology
- the academy
- publication
author: John_Joseph
excerpt: Wherein I relate formal theorists to *Mellivora capensis*.
pinned: false
---

Theoretical physicists cluster with [honey badgers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg)[^citeHB] as far as [Journal Impact Factors](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_factor) are concerned.  Such intestinal fortitude's a possible result of lots of players, few seats, and long songs in our game of academic musical chairs.

**Standard `quick note' disclaimer: This is almost entirely stream
of consciousness analysis with all the incident depth, insight, consistency, and
utility one can expect.**

Every so often I notice a flurry of discussion among my scientist
friends on twitter.

> "Impact factors are no basis for a career; young folks shouldn't pay attention -- worry about the **quality** of the research!"

This is so *manifestly correct* it's hard to imagine anyone can question it. If you
try to even have this conversation with a theoretical physicist it just falls on the floor
-- there's no interest in debating it at all.  I'm going to take a minute or two to poke at
why.


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