Free tool · Journals
Journal checker
Test a journal’s ISSN and jump straight to the official records that show whether it is really indexed.
This tool checks whether an ISSN is well formed, using the check digit defined in ISO 3297, and then opens the journal’s record in the ISSN Portal, the Web of Science Master Journal List, Scopus Sources and DOAJ, so you can confirm indexing at the source rather than on the journal’s own website. A valid ISSN is necessary but not sufficient: clone and hijacked journals often reuse a real one.
Use it before you pay a publication fee, before you list a paper in your annual progress report, and whenever a journal emails you unexpectedly.
Method
How this tool works
An ISSN has eight characters. The last one is a check digit worked out from the first seven, so most typing mistakes and made-up numbers fail the check. Multiply the first seven digits by 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2, add the results, and take the remainder after dividing by 11. The check digit is 11 minus that remainder. A result of 11 becomes 0 and a result of 10 is written as X.
Take 0317-8471. The products are 0, 21, 6, 35, 32, 12 and 14, which add up to 120. 120 divided by 11 leaves 10, and 11 − 10 = 1. The printed check digit is 1, so the ISSN is well formed.
If the number passes, the tool gives you four links. Each register answers a different question:
- ISSN Portal: whether this ISSN was assigned to this title, and to which publisher.
- Master Journal List: whether Web of Science covers the journal today, and in which index.
- Scopus Sources: whether Scopus covers the journal now, and whether its coverage was discontinued. Scopus doesn’t accept a search in the link, so the tool copies the ISSN for you to paste.
- DOAJ: whether an open access journal is listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals.
Check for clone journals too. A clone site copies a real journal’s name and ISSN, so the ISSN checks out and the register shows a genuine record. The difference is the website. Compare the URL in the official record with the site that emailed you or took your fee. Our guide on how to spot a predatory journal covers the other things worth checking.
Limits
What this tool can’t do
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does a valid ISSN mean the journal is genuine?
It means the number is well formed. Getting an ISSN is an administrative step rather than a quality check, so predatory journals can have real ones too. Open the official record and check that the title, publisher and website all match.
Why does the ISSN fail the check?
Usually a typing mistake, so copy it again from the journal’s cover or masthead. Look for a letter O in place of a zero, or an X that has become a digit. If the ISSN printed on the journal’s own site fails, the number is probably not registered, so check the ISSN Portal before you submit.
How do I check Scopus coverage dates?
Search the ISSN on Scopus Sources and open the journal’s page. It shows the years covered and whether coverage continues. Elsevier also publishes a list of discontinued titles. A paper published after coverage stopped is not indexed, even if earlier issues are. The Scopus indexing guide explains this in more detail.
Is the UGC-CARE list still used?
No. UGC discontinued the UGC-CARE list in 2025 and published the final list in July 2025 for reference only. Universities now judge journals against UGC’s suggestive parameters. Our UGC-CARE guide explains what to check instead.
What is a hijacked or clone journal?
A website that copies a real, indexed journal. It uses the real journal’s title and ISSN, and sometimes copies its old issues too. Scholars find it through an email or a search result, pay the fee, and the paper never appears in the real journal. Checking the website address against the ISSN Portal record catches most of them.
Keep reading
Related guides and services
How to spot a predatory journal
A checklist to run before you submit anywhere — and what to do if you’ve already submitted.
Scopus indexing, explained
How to verify a journal in Scopus Sources step by step — and why coverage dates matter more than logos.
The UGC CARE list, explained
What the list is, what the groups mean, how to verify a journal — and how to recognise clone journals.
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