The Hirsch Index (h-index) is an index that is used to assess the productivity and importance of a researcher's scientific work. This index was proposed by physicist Jorge Hirsch in 2005, and since then it has become one of the key tools for analysing scientific activity.
What is the Hirsch index?
The Hirsch Index (or H-index) is a metric that reflects both the productivity and impact of a researcher. Productivity is measured by the number of scientific articles published, while influence is measured by the number of citations of these publications by other scientists.
The index serves as a useful tool for identifying leading scientists in various fields of science. It is used by scientific institutions and educational establishments to assess a researcher's contribution to the development of a field of knowledge.
How to calculate the Hirsch Index?
The Hirsch index is calculated as follows: if a researcher has h publications, each of which has been cited at least h times, his/her H-index is h. For example, if a researcher has 11 articles and each of them has been cited at least 11 times, his H-index is 11.
This allows us to take into account not only the number of publications, but also their quality, which makes the metric more balanced and fair.
Many international databases such as Web of science, Scopus and Google Scholar automatically calculate the h index for their authors.
What is a good Hirsch index?
The concept of a "good" Hirsch index depends on several factors.
Subject area |
In natural and exact sciences (e.g. physics, biology, chemistry) the Hirsch index is usually higher than in the humanities because articles in these disciplines are cited more often. For example, in medicine, an h-index of 30-40 for an experienced scientist is considered high, while in literary studies and history, a Hirsch index of 10-15 may already be significant. |
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Research degree and title |
Doctoral students usually have a small h-index (5-10). At that time, for associate professors, a Hirsch index greater than 20 is considered good. |
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The beginning of a research career |
The longer a researcher has been publishing scientific articles, the higher his or her h-index is likely to be. For example, if a scientist started his/her scientific career 10 years ago, an h-index of 10-15 is considered a decent index. |
What is considered a good Hirsch index for a "doctor"?
Scientific supervisors expect doctoral students to publish up to three research articles. However, the process of their peer review and indexing can take a long time. In addition, after publication, articles must receive citations, which also takes time. Therefore, a Hirsch index of 3-5 for doctoral students by the time of thesis defence is considered a significant achievement.
What is considered a good Hirsch index for an associate professor?
The optimal h-index for an assistant professor depends on his/her research field and professional experience. On average, a Hirsch index of 5 or more can be considered "good" for an associate professor for humanities and social sciences and 10 or more for medical and biological sciences.
What is considered a good Hirsch index for a professor?
The optimal h-index for a professor depends on the scientific field, length of service, and the database in which it is calculated (Scopus, Web of Science or Google Scholar). First of all, the field of science determines the criterion of a "good" Hirsch index for professors. In highly cited fields of science, the h-index of professors often exceeds 30-50, while in less cited scientific fields even 15-20 can be considered a good indicator.
How to increase the Hirsch index?
- Publish in prestigious publications. Try to publish scientific articles in highly ranked journals (e.g., Nature, Science, Lancet).
- Selection of topical research topics. Studies that offer new approaches to solving global problems and arouse the interest of the international scientific community are cited more often.
- Co-authored publications. Co-authored papers tend to reach a wider audience and receive more citations.
- Turning to scientific consultants. To quickly and effectively increase the Hirsch index, you can turn to professionals in the field of scientific consulting.
Scientific Publications has been helping scientists from all over the world to effectively increase their Hirsch Index in an organic way for more than 8 years. The quality of our work is evidenced by thousands of successful cases. If you need a service to increase your Hirsch index in the major scientific databases Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar, leave a request in the form below. Our manager will contact you for a detailed consultation.
