Criticità dell’Impact Factor nel sistema di valutazione della ricerca in medicina legale

Scientific research requires an evaluation system of the quality that meets requirements of objectivity. The parameter called Impact Factor (IF), introduced by E. Garfield and endorsed by the Institute of Scientific Information (ISI), has become a benchmark for evaluating somewhat unique for scientific papers published in journals, especially as regards the medical sciences. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the use of the Impact Factor in the evaluation system of scientific research in forensic medicine. The IF was established as a management tool by the subject experts within scientific publishing and as a selection criterion that meets the needs of optimization of economic resources available. Over time, however, has assumed considerable importance in the academic world, even becoming a prerequisite for research and especially for assessing the quality of same. The authors, based on an authoritative bibliography already characteristic for other disciplines, contextualize the problems caused by improper use of this statistical parameter specific to the legal medical office. Critical issues arising from the exploitation that for various reasons, people from academia and private publishing do on the impact factor, influenced by variables difficult to applying to the requirements of impartiality and transparency of scientific research.