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Measuring Scientific Impact With the h-Index: A Primer for Pathologists
William E Schreiber1, Dean M Giustini2
1Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Objectives:
To describe the h-index as a measure of scientific output.
Methods:
The formula for this index is based on (1) the number of papers published by an author and (2) the number of citations per paper. The h-index can be used to evaluate performance by individuals or by groups of scientists working in university departments or research institutes.
Results:
While the h-index is both objective and quantitative, it has some deficiencies. It does not take into account first or last author publications, numbers of coauthors, or self-citations. Numerous alternative indices have been proposed to better reflect scientists' contributions in their fields.
Conclusions:
Pathologists and clinical laboratory scientists should be familiar with the h-index, as it may be used in decisions about professional advancement.
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