What is h-index?

The h-index is a metric used to measure the scientific impact and productivity of a researcher. It was proposed by physicist Jorge E. Hirsch in 2005. The h-index takes into account both the number of publications a researcher has and the number of times those publications have been cited by others.

To calculate the h-index, the researcher’s publications are ranked in descending order based on the number of citations. The h-index is then determined by finding the highest number, h, such that the researcher has h publications that have each been cited at least h times.

For example, an h-index of 10 means that the researcher has published at least 10 papers that have each been cited at least 10 times.

The h-index is widely used in academia to evaluate the impact and productivity of researchers, as it provides a more comprehensive measure than simply looking at the number of publications or citations alone. However, it is important to note that the h-index has limitations and should be interpreted in the context of the specific field of research and career stage of the researcher.