What is the Hirsch index and how to increase it?

Alex Zvansky 21.11.2024

The Hirsch index, or h-index, is one of the key indicators of scientific research. Today, in Russia, as well as worldwide, the h-index is used to assess the researcher’s activity in terms of publications. The value of the h-index increases when changes are needed in the staffing sector, as well as for obtaining academic titles and grants. We invite you to delve into the essence of this concept and understand its importance.

The Concept

The mechanism of the Hirsch index is based on the number of citations of scientific articles. However, it differs from the usual counting of citations of all works that the author has managed to publish in its specific weight. In other words, the h-index highlights the author’s works that have been most demanded by the scientific community in recent years.

Jorge Hirsh – the author of the h-index

The h-index was developed by the scientist Jorge Hirsch, an Argentine-American, at the University of California, San Diego. This event took place in 2005. Nowadays, the index is used to assess the productivity of organizations, teams, and individual researchers in terms of their scientific output.

Calculating the Hirsch Index

It is calculated based on an analytical approach to the citation of an individual researcher’s works in relation to their quantity. Example of Hirsch Index Calculation

The Hirsch index, or h-index, is determined based on the number of citations of scientific articles. The h-index of a researcher is assigned when at least “n” articles out of the total “N” articles have been cited “n” or more times each, while the remaining articles (N – n) have citations not exceeding “n” times. For example, if a researcher has published one hundred articles, and each of them has been cited once, the h-index would be 1. The same value would apply to an author who has published only one paper but has been cited 100 times.

Let’s consider another example, which is more commonly encountered in practice. Suppose a researcher has published 5 scientifically significant papers. The first work has been cited at least 5 times, the second – 4 times, and so on in descending order. Let’s calculate the h-index for this scholar.

The first work has 5 mentions, and the second has 4. This means that the researcher already has at least 2 articles with at least 4 citations each.

The third paper of the scientist has been cited 3 times by other researchers. Therefore, the expert has 3 articles in the selected field, with each of them being cited at least 3 times (counting all the previous papers).

As a result, we obtain an h-index equal to 3: this indicates that the author has managed to gather at least 3 papers, each of which has been cited at least 3 times.

Since the remaining papers have less than 3 citations, they are not taken into account when calculating the Hirsch index.

In conclusion, to obtain the value of the h-index, one needs to sort the papers in descending order of their citations. Then, find the number that matches the order of the citations of the papers. This number becomes the Hirsch index. The determination of the h-index in databases is done automatically: an analysis of all the publications of a representative of the scientific community and their citations is performed.

Determining Your h-index

You can find out your h-index on the elibrary.ru website without even registering. When you open the main page, select the “Navigator” section, and within it, choose “Author Index.” Next, search for your last name. For calculating the h-index, only those articles indexed in the bibliographic database of the Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI) are considered.

Using the h-index allows for a more precise understanding of the popularity of a researcher’s work. The Hirsch index is more accurate compared to the total number of published works and their overall number of citations.

However, an important nuance to consider is that the h-index can vary significantly depending on the chosen field of knowledge. This can be attributed to different citation practices. For example, medical papers are cited more frequently than papers in physics. Given this inconsistency, the tradition of using the h-index to determine a researcher’s scientific level or its relevance to a position is still evolving. Universities and research centers take into account other indicators as well.

The Hirsch index can be calculated in various scientific databases, both paid and free. You can find out your h-index in Scopus if your articles are indexed in this database. An additional detail to consider is that in each database, the h-index of a particular researcher may differ since the volume of data taken for analysis is not equivalent.

The Influence of the h-index on a Researcher’s Rating

What should be the Hirsch index for a particular academic status in Russia? Below are approximate assessment ranges for researchers of different categories:

World-renowned researcher, Chairman of the Dissertation Council – 16 and higher;
Member of the Dissertation Council – 10-15;
Doctor of Sciences – 7-10;
Candidate of Sciences – 3-6;
Graduate student or young researcher – 0-2.

How to Increase Your Hirsch Index

It is not easy to do. Quite commonly, not all authorial works are analyzed in RSCI, and not all citations based on research articles are taken into account. Sometimes, the merits of one author are attributed to another, which may occur due to joint writing of a work or similar surnames of different authors.

To navigate this situation effectively, follow these tips:

Publish those articles that you have personally written and which are of significant scientific value.
As you embark on your research career, try to collaborate with well-known individuals who have high achievements in the field of science.
Publish articles not only in VAK journals but also in English-language publications.
Exchange citations with your colleagues.
Pay proper attention to the bibliography, format it according to the rules.
When submitting a publication request for a research work, double-check that your personal details are correct.
Monitor the indexing of your works in different databases.

Adhering to these simple rules will not only help increase your h-index but also enhance your reputation among the scientific community!

If you have any further questions or need assistance in increasing your Hirsch index, feel free to contact our manager using the form below for a free consultation.

Alex Zvansky

CEO at Big Time – a.zvansky@big-time.pro – Web

Alex Zvansky is the founder and CEO of Big Time, an international platform for academic support and the publication of scientific papers in Scopus and Web of Science. For more than 14 years, Alex has worked in scientometrics and researcher support, helping authors from around the world publish their research in top-tier journals. He personally oversees complex publication cases, organizes the work of a team of professionals with advanced degrees, controls the quality of editing and manuscript management at every stage, and collaborates with and consults Nobel Prize laureates. Under his leadership, the Big Time team has prepared more than 8,000 publications, serving both early-career and established scientists from various countries. Alex is actively engaged in developing international scientific cooperation, runs a video blog, interviews leading world scientists, and shares current trends in scientific communication and personal branding in academia. He has an in-depth understanding of all aspects of the publication process, is open to new ideas, and is committed to making the path of scientific ideas to the world as transparent and effective as possible for every Big Time client.