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What is the h-index?
Use of the h-index is controversial. Some organizations use the h-index for evaluating researchers while others do not use it. As information professionals, we do not advise using the h-index without fully understanding its limitations and caveats.
Use the h-index with extreme caution.
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Article: An index to quantify an individual's scientific research outputby J. E. Hirsch, 2005. "I propose the index h, defined as the number of papers with citation number ≥h, as a useful index to characterize the scientific output of a researcher."
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Blog post: Halt the h-indexby Sarah de Rijcke, Ludo Waltman, and Thed van Leeuwen, 2021. "Using the h-index in research evaluation? Rather not. But why not, actually? Why is using this indicator so problematic? And what are the alternatives anyway?"
Definition
The h-index is a measure of publishing impact, where an author's h-index is represented by the number of papers (h) with a citation number ≥ h. For example, a scientist with an h-index of 14 has published numerous papers, 14 of which have been cited at least 14 times.
Image: Screenshot of some metrics listed in an author profile in Michigan Experts. Includes the h-index from 4 different sources: Scopus, Dimensions, Web of Science, and Europe PMC.
Caveats
- This indicator typically varies by source (e.g., different values in Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science).
- It is not field-normalized and is not an accurate comparison of productivity across disciplines.
- It is weighted positively towards mid and late-career researchers as publications have had more time to accrue citations.
Variations
There are several variations of the h-index, including:
Where can I find my h-index?
The resources below contain author profiles which list an h-index. Remember, this metric typically varies by source, so an author's h-index in Scopus may be different than the one in Google Scholar.
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Scopus1. Once in Scopus, select "Authors" and perform search for your name.
2. Click on the correct name in the search results to view the full author profile, where the h-index is listed.
3. Click on "Analyze author output" for additional citation data. -
Web of Science1. Once in Web of Science, click on "Author Search" and search for your name.
2. Click on the correct name in the list of results to view the full author profile, including the h-index. -
Google Scholar @ U-M1. Search for the author or an article by the author.
2. On the search results page, click on the author's name to view their Google Scholar profile which includes the h-index.
Note: not all authors have Google Scholar profiles; underlined author names indicate that a profile page exists. -
Michigan Experts1. In the bottom right, under "Useful Links" click on "Edit Your Michigan Experts Profile."
2. Log in with your U-M id and password.
3. Scroll down to the box called "H-Index" and h-index is listed there for the data sources that Michigan Experts uses.