Bibliometric Visibility of Mexican Journals in Google Scholar Metrics: A Structural Analysis Based on the h5 Index and Its Relationship with SciELO Mexico and SJR

Abstract

This article examines the positioning of Mexican scientific journals based on the h5-index provided by Google Scholar Metrics through a quantitative, descriptive-comparative, and exploratory bibliometric analysis. The initial corpus consisted of 241 journals identified in the SciELO Metrics report; after data-cleaning processes, verification of current status, and indicator availability review, the operational analysis was conducted on 236 titles. Data collection involved updating GSM URL domains, verifying journal identifiers (venue IDs), automated extraction using IMPORTXML in Google Sheets, and manual review of inconsistent records. The variables analyzed included the h5-index, h5-median, disciplinary area, publishing institution, presence in GSM, current status in SciELO México, and availability of the SJR indicator. Results show that 219 journals have an h5-index in GSM, 176 remain active in SciELO México, and 132 present an SJR indicator; furthermore, 83 journals are part of the intersection among the three systems. It is concluded that GSM enables the observation of an expanded zone of bibliometric visibility for Mexican journals, although its interpretation requires a contextualized, multisource reading and should not be considered equivalent to a direct evaluation of editorial quality.