The h-index in Australian Astronomy

Kevin A. Pimbblet

doi:10.1071/AS11002

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Previous Next Contents Vol 28(2)

The h-index in Australian Astronomy

Kevin A. Pimbblet

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A School of Physics, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.

^B Email: kevin.pimbblet@monash.edu

Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia 28(2) 140-143 https://doi.org/10.1071/AS11002
Submitted: 18 May 10 Accepted: 22 September 10 Published: 20 June 2011

Journal Compilation © Astronomical Society of Australia 2011

Abstract

The Hirsch h-index is now widely used as a metric to compare individual researchers. To evaluate it in the context of Australian astronomy, the h-index for every member of the Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA) is found using NASA's Astrophysics Data System Bibliographic Services. Percentiles of the h-index distribution are detailed for a variety of categories of ASA members, including students. This enables a list of the top ten Australian researchers by h-index to be produced. These top researchers have h-index values in the range 53 < h < 77, which is less than that recently reported for the American Astronomical Society membership. We suggest that membership of extremely large consortia such as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey may partially explain the difference. We further suggest that many student ASA members with large h-index values have probably already received their Ph.D. and need to upgrade their ASA membership status. To attempt to specify the h-index distribution relative to opportunity, we also detail the percentiles of its distribution by years since Ph.D. award date. This shows a steady increase in h-index with seniority, as can be expected.

Keywords: sociology of astronomy — publications, bibliography — astronomical databases: miscellaneous

References

Abazajian, K. N. et al., 2009, ApJS, 182, 543
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Anon., , 2005, Science, 309, 1181

Blustin, A., 2007, A&G, 48, 6.32

Bornmann, L., Mutz, R. and Daniel, H.-D., 2008, J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci. Technol., 59, 830
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXksFKjtLc%3D&md5=828def909f53532fe30af8a7778a86a2CAS |

Colless, M. et al., 2001, MNRAS, 328, 1039
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Conti, A., Lowe, S., Accomazzi, A. & DiMilia, G., 2011, AAS, 217, #145.01 (see http://dl.dropbox.com/u/473509/Astro-HR.pdf)

Drinkwater, M. J. et al., 2010, MNRAS, 401, 1429
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXitVKru78%3D&md5=c75af69ac181c2347561e2af30e107f2CAS |

Egghe, L., 2006, Scientometr., 69, 131
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Jin, B., 2006, Sci. Focus, 1, 8

Jin, B., Liang, L., Rousseau, R. and Egghe, L., 2007, Chin. Sci. Bull., 52, 855
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kosmulski, M., 2006, ISSIN, 2, 4

Kurtz, M. J., Eichhorn, G., Accomazzi, A., Grant, C. S., Demleitner, M., Murray, S. S., Martimbeau, N. and Elwell, B., 2005, J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci. Technol., 56, 111
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Pearce, F., 2004, A&G, 45, 2.15

Pimbblet, K. A., 2011, MNRAS, 411, 2637
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wu, Q., 2010, J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci. Technol., 61, 609
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Zyczkowski, K., 2010, Scientometr., 85, 301
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |