Evaluation of scientific production: short critical analysis

A historic review (fundamentally centered in Spain, but with multiple references to other international fields) of the evaluation process of scientific production has been carried out, mainly of periodicals. Available alternatives have also been analyzed after a turbulent period that has seen varied instruments for journal revision disappear. Finally some of the tendencies and necessities in the field of scientific publication evaluation that will presumably mark the future development of future instruments and procedures are identified.