Frequently Asked Questions

LILACS Journal Selection

  • Which are the criteria so that a journal be it indexed in the database LILACS?
    To index a journal in LILACS, it needs to have scientific articles in Health Sciences area and needs to be in accordance with the Journal Selection Criteria for LILACS Repository.
  • How to proceed to index a journal in LILACS?
    It is necessary to send a formal order with the 3 last current issues to the National Coordinating Centers of your country. For Brazilian scientific journals, BIREME coordinates the national journal selection process. To submit the journal you have to add to the issues, the peer review form and some data about the journal in a Excel form provided in the LILACS journal selection process website.
  • How is the selection process ?
    The selection process is decentralized and each National Selection Committee analyses the journals from your own country.
  • How is the selection process for electronic journals?
    To the evaluation of electronic journal see Journal Selection Criteria for LILACS Repository. Also, it is essential that the electronic journals have the website in full operation and publish the names of the members of the editorial board with their institutional affiliation and country and the instructions to the authors.
  • What kind of evaluation are performed?
    The evaluation process consists in analysis of presentation and standardization format, endogamy analysis (geographical and institutional distribution of the editorial board and the articles authors) and the scientific content of the journal analysis by experts in the thematic areas.
  • How often the evaluations are done?
    At least once a year the evaluation is done by the National Selection Committees.
  • How are constituted the National Selection Committees?
    They are constituted by specialists from information and health area, indicated by VHL National Advisory Committee. Also, there is the contribution of specialists of specific areas like: nursing, dentistry and psychology.
  • After the journal evaluation, how is made the communication of the results of the selection?
    The results of the selection process will communicated by the National Journal Selection Committee to the publisher by letter, e-mail or fax, and it could contains recommendations for improving the journal and this recommendations normally has a deadline date to be implemented.
  • If a journal is selected, from which issue will be indexed?
    The indexing usually starts from the evaluated issues or in agreement decision of the National Selection Committee.
  • In case of a journal not be selected or journal is excluded from LILACS, what is the procedure to follow?
    In both cases, the journal can be submited to a new evaluation to LILACS by sending the last 3 issues published in the year of the evaluation and other requirements according to the National Selection Committee. The journal will be analysed in the same way of the new ones. It is important to highlight that it is necessary to implement the recommendations of the report sent by the Committee before the new request.
BIREME - PAHO - WHO
Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information
Department of Knowledge Management, Bioethics and Research – KBR
Rua Vergueiro, 1.759, 7º andar, Paraíso • CEP: 04101-000 • São Paulo - SP, Brasil
Tel: (55 11) 5576-9800 • Fax: (55 11) 5575-8868
http://new.paho.org/bireme