Q1 indicates that a scientific journal ranks in the top quartile, or generally the highest 25%, among journals in its subject category. Journals are divided into four groups—Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4—based on their ranking, with Q1 representing the top quartile and Q4 the lowest. However, a journal's Q value may vary depending on the database, category, and year used. Therefore, when evaluating terms such as “Q1 journal” or “Q1 article,” as commonly used in everyday conversation, it is important to check whether JCR, SJR, or another relevant classification system is being used.
What Is Q Classification?
Scientific publications are one of the most reliable ways to produce knowledge; however, not all journals have the same level of impact. To highlight these differences, journals are classified into four levels based on their impact: Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4. This system is a widely used measure of how highly the scientific outputs of researchers, universities, and research institutions are regarded.
What Does the Letter “Q” Represent?
“Q” stands for “quartile,” which means a quarter of the total. Scientific journals are ranked according to impact metrics in their fields, such as citation counts and impact factors, and this ranking is divided into four quartiles. The quartile in which a journal is placed indicates its relative position within its field: a journal in Q1 is in the top 25% of its field, while Q4 covers the lowest 25%.
What Do Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 Mean?
- Q1: Journals in the top 25% of their field, with the highest citation counts and most selective publication processes. Research published in these journals is followed by academic communities worldwide.
- Q2: Reliable, highly regarded journals in the 25–50% range. They undergo a rigorous peer-review process and are considered valuable in the scientific community.
- Q3: Journals in the 50–75% range. They receive fewer citations but are peer-reviewed and indexed in international databases. They are common in new or niche research fields.
- Q4: Journals in the lowest 25%. This category generally includes newly established or less well-known publications.
An important nuance: the Q classification applies to the journal, not the article. When someone refers to a “Q1 article,” they mean an article published in a Q1 journal; the article is identified by the classification of the journal in which it was published.
How Can You Find a Journal's Q Classification?
Anyone can check which quartile a journal is in free of charge. The most commonly used resource is Scimago Journal Rank (scimagojr.com), which is based on Scopus data: search for the journal's name and view which Q quartile it is in for a given year and category in the “Quartiles” section. In the Web of Science, Clarivate's Journal Citation Reports (JCR) system is used. A journal may be in different Q classifications across different categories, and these classifications are updated every year; therefore, it is best to check the information for a specific year and category.
Why Are These Classifications Important?
Q classifications are a reference system based on a journal's citation count, impact factor, and reputation within its field. Q1 and Q2 journals, in particular, are the most preferred publication venues in the academic world due to their rigorous peer-review processes. Publishing a study in a journal in the top quartile indicates that its methodology and scientific contribution have undergone a thorough evaluation. Articles in these journals reach more researchers, receive more citations, and establish a lasting place in the literature.
What Does This Mean for Product Research?
Scientific classifications are meaningful not only for academic prestige but also for consumers. When a brand operating in the health, dietary supplement, or cosmetics sector publishes its research in peer-reviewed journals, it means that the study has been evaluated by independent scientists. This is not a guarantee of the product's effectiveness. No single study can provide such a guarantee, but it shows that the brand is opening its research processes to transparent scientific scrutiny. The most concrete place for consumers to look when asking, “Does this brand have research behind it?” is in publications like these.
Why Does Kiperin Publish Scientific Research?
As a Turkish company, Kiperin is committed to advancing its product development processes based on scientific data. For us, it is important that the work conducted during the research and development process does not remain solely at the laboratory level but is also submitted for evaluation by the international academic community.
Scientific research on Kiperin's dual hydrolyzed collagen peptides has been published in the Switzerland-based, internationally peer-reviewed journal Current Issues in Molecular Biology: you can access the article here. Having the research of a Turkey-based brand undergo peer review and find a place in the global scientific literature is a valuable step for both our brand and our industry.
You can access all of our scientific studies on our #WeBelieveInScience page.
From Scientific Publication to Consumer Trust
Consumers no longer look only at product claims but also at the research processes behind those claims. Brands that publish their research in peer-reviewed journals open this process to independent scientific scrutiny. Although Q classifications may seem like a detail of the publishing world, they are playing an increasingly decisive role in many areas, from brand transparency to consumer preferences. As Kiperin, we will continue to make our investment in science visible and verifiable through our publications.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Q1 mean?
In academic publishing, Q1 indicates that a scientific journal ranks in the top 25% of journals in its field. The letter “Q” comes from the word “quartile,” which means a quarter of the total.
Are a Q1 journal and a Q1 article the same thing?
The Q classification applies to the journal; the term “Q1 article” refers to an article published in a Q1 journal. The article itself is not classified separately; it is identified by the classification of the journal in which it was published.
Where can I find a journal's Q classification?
The most practical way is to search for the journal's name at scimagojr.com (Scimago Journal Rank); Clarivate JCR is used for Web of Science. Classifications may vary by category and year.
What does quartile mean?
Quartile means a quarter of the total. Journals are ranked according to impact metrics and divided into four equal quartiles; Q1 represents the top quartile, and Q4 represents the lowest.
Is it the same as Q1 in finance?
No. In finance and business, Q1 refers to the first quarter of the calendar or fiscal year (such as January–March). The Q1 described in this article is a scientific journal classification; the two uses are unrelated.
Is it the same as the “q value” in statistics?
No. In statistics, the q value (q-value) is a measure related to the false discovery rate in multiple hypothesis testing; it is unrelated to Q1–Q4 in journal classification.
