Costas, R (Costas, Rodrigo); Bordons, M (Bordons, Maria) The h-index: Advantages, limitations and its relation with other bibliometric indicators at the micro level JOURNAL OF INFORMETRICS, 1 (3): 193-203 JUL 2007

[Eugene Garfield]

E-mail Address: rodrigo.costas at cindoc.csic.es; mbordons at cindoc.csic.es

Author(s): Costas, R (Costas, Rodrigo); Bordons, M (Bordons, Maria) 

Title: The h-index: Advantages, limitations and its relation with other 
bibliometric indicators at the micro level 

Source: JOURNAL OF INFORMETRICS, 1 (3): 193-203 JUL 2007 

Language: English 

Document Type: Article 

Author Keywords: h-index; bibliometric indicators; micro-level studies; 
individual scientific performance; individual scientific assessment; 
research evaluation 

Keywords Plus: HIRSCH-INDEX; PUBLICATION; SCIENCE; SCIENTISTS; JOURNALS; 
RANKING; SYSTEM; IMPACT; OUTPUT 

Abstract: The relationship of the h-index with other bibliometric 
indicators at the micro level is analysed for Spanish CSIC scientists in 
Natural Resources, using publications downloaded from the Web of Science 
(1994-2004). Different activity and impact indicators were obtained to 
describe the research performance of scientists in different dimensions, 
being the h-index located through factor analysis in a quantitative 
dimension highly correlated with the absolute number of publications and 
citations. The need to include the remaining dimensions in the analysis of 
research performance of scientists and the risks of relying only on the h-
index are stressed. The hypothesis that the achievement of some highly 
visible but intermediate-productive authors might be underestimated when 
compared with other scientists by means of the h-index is tested. (c) 2007 
Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 

Addresses: CSIC, CINDOC, Madrid 28002, Spain 

Reprint Address: Costas, R, CSIC, CINDOC, Joaquin Costa 22, Madrid 28002, 
Spain. 
 
Cited Reference Count: 35 

Times Cited: 0
 
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
 
Publisher Address: PO BOX 211, 1000 AE AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS 

ISSN: 1751-1577 

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