A quartile splits journals in a subject category into four ranks by performance. Q1 is the top 25%, Q2 the next, then Q3 and Q4. The point is to contextualize raw Impact Factor inside a field: a modest IF can still be Q1 in a small category, while a high IF can land in Q2–Q3 in a crowded, citation-rich field.
Critical warning: a Web of Science / JCR quartile is not the same as a Scopus or Scimago (SJR) quartile. Different data, category taxonomies, and underlying metrics are involved. In Turkey, appointment juries usually rely on JCR/WoS quartiles; writing bare “Q1” without source (JCR vs Scopus/Scimago) and year invites confusion.
Quartile is journal-level; it does not automatically make your paper a “Q1 paper”—the phrase usually describes the journal’s standing that year. The same journal can carry different Qs across categories; read which category your guideline accepts. This site’s Find quartile tool (/tools/find-quartile) places SJR and JCR Q side by side by ISSN and year; the journal catalog (/journals) offers broader filters.
Clear dossier language looks like “2024 JCR Q1 (category name)” rather than a vague “Q1 journal.” ESCI or A&HCI contexts can nuance Q/IF display. Read quartile with Impact Factor, JCR, and SJR—and verify official sources against predatory “fake Q1” claims.