Empirical study of the growth dynamics in real career h-index sequences

Jiang Wu, Sergi Lozano and Dirk Helbing

Journal of Informetrics, 2011, vol. 5, issue 4, 489-497

Abstract: Based on historical citation data from the ISI Web of Science, this paper introduces a methodology to automatically calculate and classify the real career h-index sequences of scientists. Such a classification is based on the convexity–concavity features of the different temporal segments of h-index sequences. Five categories are identified, namely convex, concave, S-shaped, IS-shaped and linear. As a case study, the h-index sequences of several Nobel Prize winners in Medicine, Chemistry and Economics are investigated. Two proposed factors influencing the growth of the h-index, namely the “freshness” of the h-index core and changes in the rank positions of papers near the h-index point are studied. It is found that the h-index core's “freshness” is particularly relevant to the growth of the h-index. Moreover, although in general more publications lead to an increase of the h-index, the key role is played by those papers near the h-index point.

Keywords: h-Index sequence; Real career path; h-Index core (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:infome:v:5:y:2011:i:4:p:489-497

DOI: 10.1016/j.joi.2011.02.003

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