PLOS Biology Impact Factor
PLOS Biology impact factor is 9.8. Five-year JIF is 14.5.
Journal evaluation
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See scope, selectivity, submission context, and what editors actually want before you decide whether the journal is realistic.
Quick answer: PLOS Biology impact factor is 9.8; five-year JIF is 14.5.
The point of an impact-factor page is not to tell you where to submit on prestige alone. It is to give you a clean read on the journal's citation position and keep that separate from questions like scope fit, editor behavior, and review speed.
PLOS Biology Impact Factor At a Glance
Metric | Value |
|---|---|
Impact Factor | 9.8 |
5-Year JIF | 14.5 |
What This Number Does Tell You
It gives you a rough citation-density signal for the journal. A higher JIF usually means articles in that journal are cited more often on average within the JCR window. That can matter for visibility, but it is still only one input.
What This Number Does Not Tell You
- whether your manuscript actually fits the journal
- how likely the editor is to desk reject
- how long peer review will take
- how your specific paper will perform after publication
How To Use It
Use the JIF together with article type, scope fit, editorial bar, and timeline. That is a much better submission decision than chasing one number in isolation.
Bottom Line
PLOS Biology has an impact factor of 9.8, with a five-year JIF of 14.5. Treat that as a citation signal, not as a substitute for journal fit.
Jump to key sections
Sources
- Clarivate Journal Citation Reports 2024
- Journal homepage and author guidance for PLOS Biology
Reference library
Use the core publishing datasets alongside this guide
This article answers one part of the publishing decision. The reference library covers the recurring questions that usually come next: how selective journals are, how long review takes, and what the submission requirements look like across journals.
Dataset / reference guide
Peer Review Timelines by Journal
Reference-grade journal timeline data that authors, labs, and writing centers can cite when discussing realistic review timing.
Dataset / benchmark
Biomedical Journal Acceptance Rates
A field-organized acceptance-rate guide that works as a neutral benchmark when authors are deciding how selective to target.
Reference table
Journal Submission Specs
A high-utility submission table covering word limits, figure caps, reference limits, and formatting expectations.
Before you upload
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Scope, selectivity, what editors want, common rejection reasons, and submission context, all in one place.
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Where to go next
Supporting reads
Conversion step
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