SUBJECT HEADER:  The IMU-ICIAM Journal Rating Blog

To:     Presidents and Representatives of ICIAM Member Societies
From:   ICIAM President and Officers
Re:     Journal Rating Blog

Request: We are asking you to read the following message and
to disseminate it to the members of your society

In 2008, the IMU, IMS and ICIAM made public a study on the
use of citations in assessing research quality
(http://www.iciam.org/QAR/), and in 2010 the IMU and ICIAM
created a joint working group to study the more specific
question of the reliability of journal rankings based on
citations, and whether (and how) to develop a community-
based ranking system.  The working group was composed of
N. Joshi, D. N. Arnold, C. Hutchins, J. D. S. Jones,
M. MacCallum, P. Michor, S. Mueller, and T. Tang.  Its
report is on IMU's Web page at the following URL:
http://www.mathunion.org/publications/reports-recommendations.

The working group examined the issue of why a rating of
mathematical journals is desirable and submitted a detailed
proposal for IMU/ICIAM journal rating. Before going ahead
and taking any further action the IMU and ICIAM want to
explore opinions on a larger scale and get as much input
as possible from the mathematical sciences community. That
is why a "Blog on Mathematical Journals" (URL:
http://www.mathunion.org/journals) has been installed.
The blog is moderated by a group of 6 persons (D. Arnold,
C. Hutchins, N. Joshi, P. Olver (chair), F. Planchon,
T. Tang).

Everyone interested can submit his/her opinion through
posting an article (e-mail to: journal.blog@mathunion.org)
or forwarding a comment (add a comment to a posted
article by typing in the "comments" window or sending
e-mail to journal.blog@mathunion.org).

Everyone is invited to go the mathematical journals blog
and join the discussion of the issue.

ICIAM and IMU particularly ask you to spread the information
about the report and blog on mathematical journals widely
in your community*. Input from a wide range of people is
necessary to discuss this important issue and prepare for
a decision on action.

Thank you for your help.

Barbara Keyfitz, President ICIAM, for the Officers

*For example, by sending this message, or your own, in an
e-mail to members, or by putting a note in your society's
newsletter.  Let us know if you would like to hear more on
this from the ICIAM Officers.