ESCI, SCIE, SSCI and AHCI: what is the difference?
They are the four journal indexes of the Web of Science Core Collection. A journal that meets the quality criteria enters the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI). If it also meets the impact criteria, it enters the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) or the Arts & Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), depending on its subject area.
Detail
The criteria
Clarivate uses 24 quality criteria and 4 impact criteria. New submissions are evaluated on the 24 quality criteria only and, if selected, are added to ESCI.
Journals move between indexes
An ESCI journal that gains impact moves to SCIE, SSCI or AHCI. A journal in those three that loses impact moves to ESCI. A journal that no longer meets the quality criteria is removed from the Core Collection.
"ESCI has no Impact Factor" is no longer true
Since the 2023 release of Journal Citation Reports, ESCI and AHCI journals receive a Journal Impact Factor. Since 2024 they are also included in category rankings and receive a quartile.
What this changes for an author
If an institution requires "a journal indexed in Web of Science", an ESCI journal qualifies. If it requires "SCIE" or "SSCI", it does not. Ask for the exact requirement before you submit.