Subject area mapping of Indonesian journals from GARUDA (Garba Rujukan Digital) and SINTA (Science Technology Index) databases: a descriptive study

• Published in: Science editing Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 175 - 182
• Main Authors: Widianto, Eko Didik, Hadiyanto, Mantoro, Teddy, Nugroho, Arseto Satriyo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 한국과학학술지편집인협의회 01.08.2025
• Subjects: 문헌정보학
• ISSN: 2288-8063; 2288-7474
• DOI: 10.6087/kcse.382

Purpose: Studies examining the subject coverage of journals within databases are crucial for scholars and researchers seeking appropriate venues for their articles. This study investigates the characteristics of Indonesian journals by subject area, as listed in GARUDA (Garba Rujukan Digital) and SINTA (Science Technology Index), the leading Indonesian journal databases, thereby addressing the need for mapping journal subject areas within a specific national context.Methods: We employed web mining techniques to collect records from 26,726 journals listed in GARUDA and 13,522 accredited journals from SINTA. Four aspects were analyzed: the breadth of subjects covered by each journal, the number of journals in each subject area, relationships among covered subjects, and the top publisher with the largest number of journals.Results: Most subject area information was available on both databases. Our analysis revealed that journals in GARUDA exhibited a broader range and coverage of subject areas than those in SINTA, with a median of two subjects per journal in GARUDA versus one in SINTA. Indonesian single-subject journals were predominantly focused on “education,” “social,” and “economy,” while multiarea journals most frequently combined subsets such as {“science,” “engineering”}, {“education,” “social”}, and {“education,” “social,” “humanities”}. Universitas Negeri Semarang, a higher education institution, emerged as a leading publisher with a diverse portfolio of journals across subject areas.Conclusion: This study presents a subject area map of Indonesian journals and underscores the critical role of higher education institutions in publishing across all subject areas. The findings illustrate the diversity and interrelationships among journal subject areas, providing a foundation for future research on their influence on journal impact, author diversity, and interdisciplinary collaboration.