Using Google Scholar for the h-index, Nauka [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Finding your h-index (Hirsch index)
in Google Scholar
Library Factsheet no.3
What is the h-index?
ÑAn index that quantifies both the actual scientific productivity and the apparent scientific impact of a
scientistÒ
e.g. a h-index of 20 means the researcher has 20 papers each of which has been cited 20+ times.
An alternative to total citations which can be disproportionately affected by a few very highly cited papers.
Where to start:
With Google Scholar there are a variety of sites and programs that can help you calculate your h-index. These
are generally free and quality varies.
Recommended sites and services:
1.
Quadsearch
(i.e. the ÓScienceÔ search)
2.
Scholar H-index Calculator
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/45283
(add-on for the Mozilla Firefox browser, adds metrics to the standard Google Scholar site, easy to use
but only calculates for the articles on the current page, a maximum of 100)
3.
Scholarometer
(add-on for the Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome browsers Ï appears as a sidebar when installed)
4.
Publish or Perish
(application that calculates a wide variety of metrics)
How to search
Choose an Author search È
o
Use quotation marks e.g. ÑRJ NicholsÒ (or it will retrieve RJ Lipton co-authoring with WR Nichols)
o
If you need to include alternatives separate with OR (in capitols) e.g. Ñnicholls, rjÒ OR Ñbrown, rjÒ
o
It is possible to restrict using 7 broad categories (if they arenÔt visible look in the advanced search).
These are useful to eliminate namesakes
o
Once you are satisfied you may want to make a note of how you searched. This will save time if you
need to repeat the process.
The results screen should show your h-index, and possibly other metrics.
If any articles in the list are not yourÔs you can often exclude them (varies a little depending on the tool you
use, all can do this except 2).
Using Google Scholar for the h-index
Benefits
o
Covers a wider range of sources,
(especially conferences, technical reports
and eprints).
o
Easier to calculate some of the less
common metrics (since it isnÔt linked to
proprietary data Ï thus more innovation)
o
Free
Disadvantages
o
May be considered a less authoritative
than Web of Science
o
More difficult to search where there are
multiple authors with the same family
name & initials Ï limited options to refine
Issues to be aware of:
o
In general you can only compare values within a single discipline. Different citation patterns will mean
for example an average medical researcher will generally have much larger h-index values than a
world-class mathematician!
o
Also if you are comparing people all h-index values need to be found using the same database, and
using the same method.
o
The h-index may be less useful in some disciplines, particularly some areas of the humanities.
More details
o
For more details see
o
References to articles in the scientific literature.
o
Calculating the h-index with different databases (e.g. Web of Science).
o
Other bibliometrics including variations on the h-index.
Michael Whitton April 2010
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