{"id":4486,"date":"2025-05-11T21:37:51","date_gmt":"2025-05-11T21:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scholareditacademy.org\/?p=4486"},"modified":"2025-06-12T03:07:45","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T03:07:45","slug":"que-pasa-si-quiero-cambiar-el-titulo-de-mi-revista-cientifica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scholareditacademy.org\/en\/que-pasa-si-quiero-cambiar-el-titulo-de-mi-revista-cientifica\/","title":{"rendered":"What happens if I want to change the title of my scientific journal?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>At first glance, changing a scientific journal's title may seem like a minor editorial adjustment, whether to modernize a word, adapt to new subject coverage, or simply improve its appeal to international readers. However, this decision has important formal implications, especially concerning the ISSN number, the journal's bibliographic identity, and its continuity in databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, or DOAJ.<\/p>\n<p>Below, we explain what happens when the title of a scientific journal is changed, according to the rules established by the international ISSN system. We will also outline the steps that publishers must follow to make this change correctly.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is the ISSN, and why does it matter for a scientific journal?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) is a unique identifier for serial publications such as journals, newsletters, yearbooks, or book series. Each title has a number that represents it in databases, libraries, indexing systems, and citation systems.<\/p>\n<p>This number is linked to the journal's key title, a standardized form of the full title that serves as an official reference. If the journal's title changes significantly, the assigned ISSN must also be changed.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What title changes in scientific journals require a new ISSN?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Not all changes to a journal title require a new ISSN. According to the ISSN Manual<sup>1<\/sup>, these title changes are classified as major changes, which do need a new ISSN, and minor changes, which do not.<\/p>\n<p>On the one hand, major changes to a journal title involve substantially altering its structure or meaning. Some common examples are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Changing or reordering the <strong>first five words<\/strong> of the journal title (or six if it begins with an article such as \u201cThe\u201d). An example is changing from \u201c<em>ICSU Review<\/em>\u201d to \u201c<em>ICSU Review of World Science<\/em>\u201d.<\/li>\n<li>Adding or removing keywords that alter the <strong>subject coverage<\/strong> of the journal title. An example is changing from \u201c<em>The Best Bed &amp; Breakfasts in the World\u201d to \u201cThe Best Bed &amp; Breakfasts in England, Scotland &amp; Wales\u201d.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Including or removing relevant <strong>names of corporate entities<\/strong> in the journal title. An example is changing from \u201c<em>Research Paper (Dept. of Economics)\u201d to \u201c<\/em> <em>Research Paper (Institute for Public Economics)\u201d.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Change the <strong>medium of the journal<\/strong>, i.e., if it changes from a print journal to a digital journal or vice versa.<\/li>\n<li>Merge or split a <strong>journal into several parts<\/strong>. In this case, each journal receives its own ISSN and title key.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>On the other hand, <strong>minor changes<\/strong> to journals do not require a new ISSN, but they must be registered as title variants. Some of these minor changes include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Spelling or writing changes. A clear example would be a spelling correction in the title of a journal, such as changing <em>Revista de Ps\u00edcolog\u00eda Aplicada<\/em> (with an accent error) to <em>Revista de Psicolog\u00eda Aplicada<\/em>. Although this is a change in the writing, it does not alter the title's meaning or affect the first words that define its identity.<\/li>\n<li>Replacement of symbols or abbreviations. For example, suppose a journal titled <em>Ciencia e Innovaci\u00f3n<\/em> decides to change its name to <em>Ciencia &amp; Innovaci\u00f3n<\/em>, the change is considered purely typographical, as it does not alter the meaning or essential structure of the title. Therefore, the same ISSN is retained, and the new form is registered as a title variant.<\/li>\n<li>Changes in the number, gender, or plurality of words. For example, if a journal is titled Social Studies and later changes to Social Study, it does not imply a substantial transformation in its focus or basic structure. In this case, it is sufficient to register the new form as a variant while keeping the same ISSN number.<\/li>\n<li>Adjustments to the representation of the resource type. An example would be changing the word Journal to Revista, provided that the word is not among the first five words.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>What would it mean if my scientific journal had a new ISSN?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>When a scientific journal obtains a new ISSN due to a title change, it is considered starting a new editorial phase. This has several implications:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The first is <strong>indexing<\/strong> in Scopus or Web of Science databases. This is very important because the new ISSN may be treated as a different journal, which temporarily affects visibility, metrics accumulation, and indexing continuity. For example, in such cases, Scopus may conduct a rigorous evaluation to verify the authenticity of the changes. Therefore, you would need to undergo the standard review process by the Content Selection and Advisory Board (CSAB) again<sup>2<\/sup>. Meanwhile, Web of Science considers it essential to notify Clarivate Analytics to ensure continuity and accuracy in the representation of the journal in its database. This is because a change in a journal's title can affect its historical metrics, such as its Impact Factor or its position in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR)<sup>3<\/sup>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li>The second issue concerns <strong>DOIs and metadata<\/strong>. This requires updating the journal title in the Crossref system and adjusting the metadata to ensure the correct linking of new articles.<\/li>\n<li>The third implication relates to <strong>bibliographic records<\/strong>. In other words, libraries and catalogs must be informed of the journal title change to maintain documentary continuity between the different versions.<\/li>\n<li>Finally, <strong>you must be transparent with authors and readers<\/strong>. It is essential to announce the change publicly, explain the reason, and keep previous files accessible.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><strong>What if I want my scientific journal to revert to its previous title?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The good news is that this is possible. In this case, a new ISSN is also assigned, even if the title was previously used. To distinguish it from the original, a start date is added in parentheses, for example: \u201cJournal of Medical Sciences (1990),\u201d \u201cJournal of Medical Sciences and Biotechnology,\u201d and \u201cJournal of Medical Sciences (2025).\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This case reflects a situation in which a journal temporarily expands its subject scope by adding \u201cBiotechnology\u201d to the title, but later revert to the original name. Although the title is the same as in its initial stage, ISSN regulations require assigning a new number and adding a chronological distinction (such as the start year) to avoid ambiguity in bibliographic records.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Practical recommendations for scientific publishers<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Always <strong>assess whether changing the journal title is necessary<\/strong>. A minor adjustment may not justify an editorial break that affects continuity in databases.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Consult with your country's National ISSN Center<\/strong> before implementing the title change, as only they can determine whether a new ISSN is necessary.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Plan the title change in advance<\/strong>, because databases must be informed months in advance if the journal is indexed.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Maintain traceability on the journal's website<\/strong> and clearly indicate that the new title continues the previous one. This should be done with a link to the archives and a mention of the previous ISSN.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Update all metadata systems<\/strong> on the editorial management platform, the Crossref portal, the editorial record, the DOAJ, distribution platforms, and library catalogs.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Changing the title of a scientific journal is not just a decision about image. It is an act that has technical, regulatory, and bibliographic consequences. While it may be a reasonable positioning strategy, it must be approached with professionalism and planning.<\/p>\n<p>Through its clear guidelines, the ISSN system ensures the integrity of the international bibliographic record. As a publisher, it is your responsibility to ensure that changes contribute to the growth of your journal without jeopardizing its visibility or legacy.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Sources<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>1<a href=\"https:\/\/www.issn.org\/understanding-the-issn\/assignment-rules\/issn-manual\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> https:\/\/www.issn.org\/understanding-the-issn\/assignment-rules\/issn-manual\/<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>2 <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.scopus.com\/posts\/scopus-content-policy-and-selection-changes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/blog.scopus.com\/posts\/scopus-content-policy-and-selection-changes<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>3 <a href=\"https:\/\/support.clarivate.com\/ScientificandAcademicResearch\/s\/article\/Journal-Citation-Reports-Journal-Title-Changes?language=en_US\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/support.clarivate.com\/ScientificandAcademicResearch\/s\/article\/Journal-Citation-Reports-Journal-Title-Changes?language=en_US<\/a><\/strong><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cambiar el t\u00edtulo de una revista cient\u00edfica puede parecer, a simple vista, un ajuste editorial menor, ya sea para modernizar una palabra, adaptarse a una nueva cobertura tem\u00e1tica o simplemente mejorar su atractivo para lectores internacionales. Sin embargo, esta decisi\u00f3n conlleva importantes implicaciones formales, especialmente en lo que respecta al n\u00famero ISSN, la identidad bibliogr\u00e1fica de la revista y su continuidad en bases de datos como Scopus, Web of Science o DOAJ. A continuaci\u00f3n, le explicamos qu\u00e9 sucede cuando se cambia el t\u00edtulo de una revista cient\u00edfica, seg\u00fan las normas establecidas por el sistema internacional ISSN. Tambi\u00e9n presentaremos los pasos que las editoriales deben seguir para realizar este cambio correctamente. \u00bfQu\u00e9 es el ISSN y por qu\u00e9 importa para una revista cient\u00edfica? El ISSN (International Standard Serial Number, en ingl\u00e9s) es un identificador \u00fanico para publicaciones seriadas como revistas, boletines, anuarios o series de libros. Cada t\u00edtulo tiene un n\u00famero que lo representa en bases de datos, bibliotecas, sistemas de indexaci\u00f3n y sistemas de citaci\u00f3n. Este n\u00famero est\u00e1 vinculado al t\u00edtulo clave de la revista, una forma estandarizada del t\u00edtulo completo que sirve como referencia oficial. Si el t\u00edtulo de la revista cambia significativamente, tambi\u00e9n deber\u00e1 cambiarse el ISSN asignado. \u00bfQu\u00e9 cambios de t\u00edtulo en las revistas cient\u00edficas requieren un nuevo ISSN? No todos los cambios en el t\u00edtulo de una revista requieren un nuevo ISSN. Seg\u00fan el Manual ISSN1, estos cambios de t\u00edtulo se clasifican en cambios mayores, que s\u00ed requieren un nuevo ISSN, y cambios menores, que no. Por una parte, los cambios mayores en el t\u00edtulo de una revista implican una alteraci\u00f3n sustancial en su estructura o significado. Algunos ejemplos comunes son: Cambiar o reordenar las primeras cinco palabras del t\u00edtulo de la revista (o seis si inicia con un art\u00edculo como \u201cEl\u201d o \u201cLa\u201d). Un ejemplo es cambiar de \u201cICSU Review\u201d a \u201cICSU Review of World Science\u201d. A\u00f1adir o eliminar palabras clave que alteren la cobertura tem\u00e1tica del t\u00edtulo de la revista. Un ejemplo es cambiar de \u201cThe Best Bed &amp; Breakfasts in the World\u201d a \u201cThe Best Bed &amp; Breakfasts in England, Scotland &amp; Wales\u201d. Incluir o suprimir nombres de entidades corporativas relevantes en el t\u00edtulo de la revista. Un ejemplo es cambiar de \u201cResearch Paper (Dept. of Economics)\u201d a \u201c Research Paper (Institute for Public Economics)\u201d. Cambiar el soporte de la revista, es decir, si se pasa de ser una revista impresa a digital o viceversa. Fusionar o escindir una revista en varias partes. En este caso, cada revista recibe su propio ISSN y t\u00edtulo clave. Por otra parte, los cambios menores en las revistas no requieren de un nuevo ISSN; pero, s\u00ed deben ser registrados como variantes de t\u00edtulo. Algunos de estos cambios menores incluyen: Cambios ortogr\u00e1ficos o en la forma de escritura. Un ejemplo claro ser\u00eda la correcci\u00f3n ortogr\u00e1fica en el t\u00edtulo de una revista, como pasar de Revista de Ps\u00edcolog\u00eda Aplicada (con un error de acentuaci\u00f3n) a Revista de Psicolog\u00eda Aplicada. Aunque se trata de una modificaci\u00f3n en la escritura, no altera el sentido del t\u00edtulo ni afecta las primeras palabras que definen su identidad. Sustituci\u00f3n de s\u00edmbolos o abreviaturas. Por ejemplo, si una revista titulada Ciencia e Innovaci\u00f3n decide modificar su nombre a Ciencia &amp; Innovaci\u00f3n, el cambio se considera \u00fanicamente tipogr\u00e1fico, ya que no altera el significado ni la estructura esencial del t\u00edtulo. Por tanto, se mantiene el mismo ISSN y se registra la nueva forma como una variante del t\u00edtulo. Cambios en el n\u00famero, el g\u00e9nero o la pluralidad de palabras. Por ejemplo, si una revista se titula Estudios Sociales y m\u00e1s adelante cambia a Estudio Social, el cambio no implica una transformaci\u00f3n sustancial en su enfoque ni en su estructura b\u00e1sica. En este caso, basta con registrar la nueva forma como una variante, manteniendo el mismo n\u00famero ISSN. Ajustes en la representaci\u00f3n del tipo de recurso. Un ejemplo ser\u00eda el cambio de la palabra Journal por Revista, siempre y cuando la palabra no est\u00e9 situada dentro de las cinco primeras palabras. \u00bfQu\u00e9 implica que mi revista cient\u00edfica tenga un nuevo ISSN? Cuando a una revista cient\u00edfica obtiene un nuevo ISSN por cambio de t\u00edtulo, se considera que comienza una nueva etapa editorial. Esto tiene varias implicaciones: La primera es la indexaci\u00f3n en bases de datos como Scopus o Web of Science. Esto es muy importante porque el nuevo ISSN puede tratarse como una revista distinta, lo que afecta temporalmente a la visibilidad, la acumulaci\u00f3n de m\u00e9tricas y la continuidad de la indexaci\u00f3n. Por ejemplo, en esos casos, Scopus puede realizar una evaluaci\u00f3n rigurosa para verificar la autenticidad de los cambios. Por lo tanto, necesitar\u00eda someterse nuevamente al proceso de revisi\u00f3n est\u00e1ndar por parte del Comit\u00e9 de Selecci\u00f3n y Asesoramiento de Contenido (CSAB, por sus siglas en ingl\u00e9s)2. Mientras que Web of Science considera fundamental notificar a Clarivate Analytics para asegurar la continuidad y precisi\u00f3n en la representaci\u00f3n de la revista en su base de datos. Esto se debe a que un cambio en el t\u00edtulo de una revista puede afectar a sus m\u00e9tricas hist\u00f3ricas, como el Factor de Impacto o su posici\u00f3n en el Journal Citation Reports (JCR)3. La segunda cuesti\u00f3n tiene que ver con los DOIs y los metadatos. Esto requiere actualizar el t\u00edtulo de la revista en el sistema Crossref y ajustar los metadatos para asegurar la correcta vinculaci\u00f3n de los nuevos art\u00edculos. La tercera implicaci\u00f3n est\u00e1 relacionada con los registros bibliogr\u00e1ficos. Es decir, las bibliotecas y los cat\u00e1logos deben ser informados del cambio de t\u00edtulo de la revista para que mantengan la continuidad documental entre las diferentes versiones. Por \u00faltimo, hay que ser transparentes con los autores y los lectores. Es importante anunciar p\u00fablicamente el cambio, explicar el motivo y mantener accesibles los archivos anteriores. \u00bfY si quiero que mi revista cient\u00edfica vuelva a su t\u00edtulo anterior? La buena noticia es que esto s\u00ed es posible. En ese caso, tambi\u00e9n se asigna un nuevo ISSN, aunque el t\u00edtulo se haya utilizado anteriormente. Para distinguirlo del original, se a\u00f1adir\u00e1 una fecha de inicio entre<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6453,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[73,72,74,71],"class_list":["post-4486","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gestion-editorial","tag-gestion-de-revistas","tag-indizacion","tag-registros-bibliograficos","tag-revistas-cientificas"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scholareditacademy.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4486","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scholareditacademy.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scholareditacademy.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scholareditacademy.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scholareditacademy.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4486"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/scholareditacademy.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4486\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scholareditacademy.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scholareditacademy.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4486"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scholareditacademy.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4486"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scholareditacademy.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4486"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}