Each NHR update is a reassessment of the scientific contribution of a researcher and of organisations. A position in the national table depends directly on the figures recorded in scientometric databases by the moment of recalculation. The principal indicator here remains the h-index. In this article, we will set out the specific steps that will help raise these indicators ahead of the next update and secure a higher position in the national table.
What is the NHR ranking?
The National H-index Ranking is an independent international rating that assesses the scientific productivity of researchers and organisations in Azerbaijan on the basis of the consolidated h-index. Its figures are drawn simultaneously from three sources: Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar.
The official NHR project website hosts several ranking tables, organised according to two principles: by the object of assessment and by the database.
By object of assessment, the rankings divide into institutional and individual tables. The institutional table reflects the positions of universities and research organisations – it is the basis on which the country's leading higher education institutions are compared with the National Academy of Sciences and its subordinate institutes. The individual ranking is the TOP 1000 of Azerbaijani researchers, listed personally by their h-index values. Each university additionally has its own page with a list of its researchers and their positions, which is useful for internal personnel decisions.
By database, each of these tables exists in three versions: based on Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. This makes it possible to see how a researcher's or an institution's figures differ depending on the coverage of a specific scientometric system – Scopus and Web of Science apply stricter criteria to journal inclusion, whereas Google Scholar accounts for a broader range of publications.
Update schedule of the Azerbaijan National H-index Ranking
Recalculation is carried out once a year – in the fourth quarter. For this date, the databases count citations and publications recorded before the close of the reporting interval. Anything that appears later is carried over to the next update. This schedule should be factored in well in advance, as even an article accepted by a journal but not indexed by the date will not be counted.
Why does the h-index matter before the ranking is recalculated?
Roughly six months pass between updates, and any loss of position has an immediate effect on a organisation's or researcher's reputation, grant prospects and international visibility. Before the next recalculation, it is worth checking:
- how many works have already been indexed in Scopus and Web of Science
- which publications have not been counted due to incorrect affiliation or discrepancies in the spelling of the author's name
- whether new citations have appeared for key papers of recent years
- whether duplicate author profiles exist in Google Scholar
If these points are overlooked, the researcher's actual scientific potential will not be reflected in the table, and the place in the ranking may be taken by a colleague with less significant work but a properly maintained profile.
Which actions raise a position in the NHR ranking?
A researcher aiming to climb at the next update should focus on specific steps:
- Merge duplicate publications in Scopus and Google Scholar author profiles.
- Bring affiliation details into a single consistent form across all indexed articles.
- Publish completed manuscripts in Scopus and Web of Science journals in good time, allowing for peer review and indexing periods.
- In parallel, place work in reputable international journals outside Scopus and Web of Science – this speeds up the publication process and broadens the body of work that will attract citations in the longer term.
- Verify the transliteration of the author's name and link an ORCID identifier to the profiles in all three databases.
- Submit a request for the re-indexing of articles that have dropped out of the databases for technical reasons.
Which mistakes most often reduce researchers' results?
Positions in the NHR are lost not so much because of weak work as because of careless profile management and poor journal choice. Typical missteps include:
- publications in journals recently removed from Scopus
- fragmented profiles in Google Scholar
- inconsistent transliteration of the author's name
- articles in 'grey list' journals that simply do not enter scientometric databases
Each of these errors translates directly into a deduction from the final h-index at recalculation.
The h-index shows how systematically a researcher manages publications, citations and scientometric profiles. Preparing for an NHR update is an opportunity to record a real scholarly result in the national table. The earlier the work on publications and affiliation begins, the greater the chance of improving a position at the very next recalculation.
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