Scientometrics
Volume/Issue:
Volume 86: Issue 2
Criticism on the hg-index
Authors:
Fiorenzo Franceschini Dipartimento di Sistemi di Produzione ed Economia dell’Azienda (DISPEA), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129, Turin, Italy

Search for other papers by Fiorenzo Franceschini in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
and
Domenico Maisano Dipartimento di Sistemi di Produzione ed Economia dell’Azienda (DISPEA), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129, Turin, Italy

Search for other papers by Domenico Maisano in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
Pages:
339–346
Online Publication Date:
24 Jun 2010
Publication Date:
01 Feb 2011
Article Category:
Brief Report
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-010-0261-1
Keywords:
Bibliometrics; Indicator composition; Composite indicator; Scales of measurement; Ordinal scale; Scale granularity
Restricted access

Abstract

Although composition of bibliometric indicators appears to be desirable, in many cases it may be misleading. After a brief introduction on the properties of scales of measurement, the attention of this communication is focused on a recent composite indicator, the hg-index, suggested by Alonso et al. (Scientometrics 82(2):391–400, 2010). Specifically, hg-index has three major criticalities: (1) the hg scale is the result of a composition of the h- and g-indices, which are defined both on ordinal scales, (2) the equivalence classes of hg are questionable and the substitution rate between h and g may arbitrarily change depending on the specific h and g values, (3) the apparent increase in granularity of hg, with respect to h and g, is illusory and misleading. Argument is supported by several examples.

  • Alonso, S, Cabrerizo, F, Herrera-Viedma, E, Herrera, F 2010 hg-index: a new index to characterize the scientific output of researchers based on the h- and g-indices. Scientometrics 82 2 391–400 .

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Batista, PD, Campiteli, MG, Kinouchi, O, Martinez, AS 2006 Is it possible to compare researchers with different scientific interests?. Scientometrics 68 1 179–189 .

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Braun, T, Glänzel, W, Schubert, A 2006 A Hirsch-type index for journals. The Scientist 69 1 169–173.

  • Burrell, QL 2007 Hirsch index or Hirsch rate? Some thoughts arising from Liang's data. Scientometrics 73 1 19–28 .

  • Cabrerizo, FJ, Alonso, S, Herrera-Viedma, E, Herrera, F 2010 q2-Index: Quantitative and qualitative evaluation based on the number and impact of papers in the Hirsch core. Journal of Informetrics 4 1 23–28 .

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Costas, R, Bordons, M 2007 The h-index: Advantages, limitations and its relation with other bibliometric indicators at the micro level. Journal of Informetrics 1 3 193–203 .

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Egghe, L 2006 Theory and practise of the g-index. Scientometrics 69 1 131–152 .

  • Egghe, L 2007 Dynamic h-index: The Hirsch index in function of time. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 58 3 452–454 .

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Egghe, L 2010 The Hirsch-index and related impact measures. Annual Review of Information Science and Technology 44:65–114.

  • Franceschini, F, Galetto, M, Maisano, D 2007 Management by measurement: Designing key indicators and performance measurement systems Springer Verlag Berlin.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Franceschini, F, Maisano, D 2010 Analysis of the Hirsch index's operational properties. European Journal of Operational Research 203 2 494–504 .

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Franceschini, F., Maisano, D. (2010b). Analysis of the ch-index, an indicator to evaluate the diffusion of scientific research output by citers. Scientometrics (to appear). doi: .

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Glänzel, W 2006 On the opportunities and limitations of the h-index. Science Focus 1 1 10–11.

  • Hirsch, J. E. (2005). An index to quantify an individual's scientific research output. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 102, 16569-16572.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Jin, BH, Liang, LM, Rousseau, R, Egghe, L 2007 The R- and AR-indices: Complementing the h-index. Chinese Science Bulletin 52 6 855–963 .

  • Roberts, F. S. (1979). Measurement theory: With applications to decisionmaking, utility, and the social sciences. Encyclopedia of Mathematics and its Applications, Vol. 7. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Rousseau, R 2008 Reflections on recent developments of the h-index and h-type indices. COLLNET Journal of Scientometrics and Information Management 2 1 1–8.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Stevens, SS 1946 On the theory of scales of measurement. Science 103 2684 677–680 .

  • Collapse
  • Expand
Cover Scientometrics
Scientometrics
Print ISSN:
0138-9130
Online ISSN:
1588-2861

To see the editorial board, please visit the website of Springer Nature.

Manuscript submission: http://www.editorialmanager.com/scim/

For subscription options, please visit the website of Springer Nature.

Scientometrics
Language English
Size B5
Year of
Foundation		 1978
Volumes
per Year		 1
Issues
per Year		 12
Founder Akadémiai Kiadó
Founder's
Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
Publisher Akadémiai Kiadó
Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Publisher's
Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
CH-6330 Cham, Switzerland Gewerbestrasse 11.
Responsible
Publisher		 Chief Executive Officer, Akadémiai Kiadó
ISSN 0138-9130 (Print)
ISSN 1588-2861 (Online)

Monthly Content Usage

Abstract Views Full Text Views PDF Downloads
Mar 2024 5 0 0
Apr 2024 9 0 0
May 2024 44 0 0
Jun 2024 16 0 0
Jul 2024 10 0 0
Aug 2024 25 0 0
Sep 2024 2 0 0