Comparative Evaluation of Content Quality: Scopus and ISI (Web of Science)

The main purpose of this research is to compare the Content quality of two citation databases: Scopus and Web of Science. In order to reaching this goal, first of all, final criteria of the content quality evaluation of Scopus & WoS was compiled and then according to this criteria and regarding to the seven general indicators (including: "aim, content & scope", "journal scientific reliability", "author's reputation", "updating, constancy and stability", "citation quality", "management" and "ease of accessibility, retrieval & usage") the quality of the journal in two subject fields ("art, human and social sciences" & "medical, engineering, agricultural and basic sciences") of two citation databases was surveyed and compared. Results of this research show that in subject field of "art, human and social sciences" in two indicators of "author's reputation" and "management", the quality of journals in WoS is more than Scopus, but in the next five indicators the quality of the journals in Scopus & WoS are the same. In the other hand, in the subject field of "medical, engineering, agricultural and basic sciences", in three indicators of "journal scientific reliability", "author's reputation" and "management", the quality of journals in WoS is more than Scopus, but in the indicators of "updating, constancy and stability" and "ease of accessibility, retrieval & usage", the quality of journals in Scopus is more than WoS. Though, in two indicators of "aim, content & scope" and "citation quality" the quality of the journals indexed in Scopus & WoS are the same.