A review of the characteristics of 108 author-level bibliometric indicators

TL;DR

This paper reviews 108 author-level bibliometric indicators, analyzing their usefulness, complexity, and applicability for assessing individual research performance.

Contribution

It provides an objective comparison of a large set of bibliometric indicators, highlighting their strengths and limitations for individual assessment.

Findings

Many indicators vary in complexity and usefulness

Some indicators are more suitable for practical application

The review aids in selecting appropriate bibliometric measures

Abstract

An increasing demand for bibliometric assessment of individuals has led to a growth of new bibliometric indicators as well as new variants or combinations of established ones. The aim of this review is to contribute with objective facts about the usefulness of bibliometric indicators of the effects of publication activity at the individual level. This paper reviews 108 indicators that can potentially be used to measure performance on the individual author level, and examines the complexity of their calculations in relation to what they are supposed to reflect and ease of end-user application.