Variations in Web of Science and Scopus Journal Coverage, Visibility and Prestige between 2001 and 2020

Purpose: This study focuses on the changes in differences in the journal coverage, visibility and prestige of journals from top twenty countries in Web of Science and Scopus in the twenty-year timeframe-2001-2020. Methodology: Using Web of Science and Scopus journal data from Journal Citation Reports and Scimago Journal Rank, respectively, top twenty countries by number of journals indexed in the two databases were identified. Analysis of the changes that occurred in the number of journals from the top twenty countries, the citations they received and their prestige were analyzed. Findings: USA and UK continued their dominance of the journals indexed in Web of Science and Scopus, but their dominance waned gradually in the course of the twenty-year period. The rate of growth of journals indexed by the databases is steeper among the countries outside the top. In Web of Science, journals from the UK were the most prestigious until 2010 when China emerged as the most prestigious journals. USA continues to take the leading spot in terms of most prestigious journals in Scopus, followed by UK. Research Limitations: This investigation relied on third-party datasets sourced from the Scimago Journal Rank repository for the compilation of the Scopus journal list. Practical implications: This study suggests an inclination towards diversity by Web of Science and Scopus, though North America and Europe continue to dominate journal coverage. However, the gulf in the prestige and visibility of journals from North America, Europe and other parts of the world remains, suggesting the researchers from the peripheral may continue to gravitate towards the core. Originality/Value: While studies have provided singular-year analyses of journal coverages of Web of Science and Scopus, this study provides an analysis of 20 years.