[The stratified H-index makes scientific impact transparent]

Area of Science:

• Bibliometrics
• Scientometrics
• Research Evaluation

Background:

• The H-index is a standard metric for quantifying scientific impact.
• Current metrics do not differentiate author contributions in collaborative research.
• Unequal contributions in multi-authored papers limit the H-index's accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel metric, the stratified H-index, for a more nuanced assessment of scientific impact.
• To address the limitations of the conventional H-index in reflecting individual author contributions.
• To provide a more equitable measure of research performance in collaborative environments.

Main Methods:

• The proposed stratified H-index calculates separate H-indices for first, second, and last authorship positions.
• This method supplements the traditional H-index by incorporating authorship order.
• The metric considers publication output, citation impact, and specific author roles.

Main Results:

• The stratified H-index offers a more granular view of a researcher's impact based on their specific contributions.
• It distinguishes the influence of lead, supporting, and senior authors.
• This approach provides a more accurate reflection of individual scientific output and quality.

Conclusions:

• The stratified H-index offers a more equitable and accurate measure of scientific impact than the conventional H-index.
• This metric better accounts for the collaborative nature of modern research.
• Implementing the stratified H-index can lead to more precise research evaluations and recognition.