A theoretical evaluation of Hirsch-type bibliometric indicators confronted with extreme self-citation

Gabriel-Alexandru Vîiu

Journal of Informetrics, 2016, vol. 10, issue 2, 552-566

Abstract: The paper investigates the theoretical response of h-type bibliometric indicators developed over the past decade when faced with the problem of manipulation through self-citation practices. An extreme self-citation scenario is used to test the theoretical resistance of the research performance metrics to strategic manipulation and to determine the magnitude of the impact that self-citations may induce on the indicators. The original h-index, eighteen selected variants, as well as traditional bibliometric indicators are considered. The results of the theoretical study indicate that while all indicators are vulnerable to manipulation, some of the h-index variants are more susceptible to the influence of strategic behavior than others: elite set indicators prove more resilient than the original h while other variants, including most of those directly derived from the h-index, are shown to be less robust. Variants that take into account time constraints prove to be especially useful for detecting potential manipulation. As a practical tool which may aid further studies, the article offers a collection of functions to compute the h-index and several of its variants in the R language and environment for statistical computing.

Keywords: h-Index variants; Bibliometric indicators; Self-citation; Manipulation; Research evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:infome:v:10:y:2016:i:2:p:552-566

DOI: 10.1016/j.joi.2016.04.010

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