H指數的計算基於其研究者的論文數量及其論文被引用的次數。赫希認為:一個人在其所有學術文章中有N篇論文分別被引用了至少N次,他的H指數就是N。[1][2]如美國耶魯大學免疫學家理查德·弗來沃(英語:Richard A. Flavell)發表的900篇文章中,有107篇被引用了107次以上,他的H指數是107。
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