Political Science Quarterly

Aims & Scope

Political Science Quarterly was launched in 1886 by Columbia University Professor John W.

Burgess, the Academy’s first president, with the active involvement of New York publisher George A.

Plimpton.

Published continuously since that year, PSQ has been the most widely read and accessible scholarly journal on government, politics, and public policy.

Broad in its subject matter and dedicated to objective analysis based on evidence, PSQ examines both domestic and international issues.

It has no ideological or methodological slant and is edited to be accessible not only to scholars but also to general readers who have a serious interest in public and foreign affairs.

View Aims & Scope

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Metrics & Ranking

Impact Factor

Year	Value
2025	1.1
2024	0.80

SJR (SCImago Journal Rank)

Year	Value
2024	0.661

Quartile

Year	Value
2024	Q1

h-index

Year	Value
2024	59

Journal Rank

Year	Value
2024	8660

Journal Citation Indicator

Year	Value
2024	117

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Abstracting & Indexing

Journal is indexed in leading academic databases, ensuring global visibility and accessibility of our peer-reviewed research.

• Scopus
• Google Scholar
• Web of Science

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Subjects & Keywords

Journal’s research areas, covering key disciplines and specialized sub-topics in Social Sciences, designed to support cutting-edge academic discovery.

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Most Cited Articles

The Most Cited Articles section features the journal's most impactful research, based on citation counts. These articles have been referenced frequently by other researchers, indicating their significant contribution to their respective fields.

• When Work Disappears

  Citation: 2213

  Authors: William Julius

• The Study of Administration

  Citation: 1423

  Authors: Woodrow

• Causal Stories and the Formation of Policy Agendas

  Citation: 1085

  Authors: Deborah A.

• Backward Mapping: Implementation Research and Policy Decisions

  Citation: 596

  Authors: Richard F.

• Economic Insecurity, Prejudicial Stereotypes, and Public Opinion on Immigration Policy

  Citation: 425

  Authors: Peter, James G.

• Issue Ownership and Presidential Campaigning, 1952–2000

  Citation: 373

  Authors: John R., William L., Glenn J.

• “National Security” as an Ambiguous Symbol

  Citation: 346

  Authors: Arnold

• Understanding White Polarization in the 2016 Vote for President: The Sobering Role of Racism and Sexism

  Citation: 336

  Authors: Brian F., Matthew, Tatishe

• A Democratic Dilemma: System Effectiveness versus Citizen Participation

  Citation: 331

  Authors: Robert A.

• Will More Countries Become Democratic?

  Citation: 330

  Authors: Samuel P.

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