The impact of the impact factor.

As a new journal "European Molecular Biology Organization" yet unbranded by an impact factor (IF), the editor can address this important element of science without suffering either the anguish of those journals that languor in the lower divisions or the insouciance of those with double digit IFs. Then there is the gamesmanship associated with pushing up the IF of a journal. The attributed IF value is based on the frequency at which the average paper in each issue was cited during the previous two years. Nonetheless, the IF ranking provides a wonderful guide to what should be read. It stratifies the journals and in general, guides scientists to those where the best papers are most likely to appear.