A scientist’s position in the ranking is determined by their D-index (Discipline H-index), a metric that specifically quantifies the impact and productivity within the examined discipline of Political Science. Unlike the general H-index, the D-index only includes papers and citation metrics relevant to the specific research domain, thereby providing a refined and focused measure of disciplinary influence.
Scope of Research and Eligibility Criteria
In total, 279,971 scientist profiles were initially identified and examined across all disciplines using various bibliometric data sources. Within this dataset, 71 scientists specializing in Political Science in the Netherlands were specifically analyzed. To qualify for inclusion in this ranking, a scientist’s D-index had to be at least 20, and the majority of their tier publications were required to be concentrated within the field of Political Science.
Additionally, a scientist’s distinguished awards and achievements within the Political Science domain were taken into account to further ascertain their standing in the field. The D-index threshold for identifying top researchers is calibrated in increments of 10 according to the estimated total number of scholars per discipline. This approach ensures that approximately the top 1% of leading scholars are incorporated into the ranking. Moreover, to guarantee disciplinary relevance, there must be a proximity of 30% or less between a scientist’s general H-index and their D-index.
Verification and Validation Practices
Recognizing that raw bibliometric data alone cannot provide a definitive evaluation of scholarly output, the researchers behind this ranking conducted meticulous manual verification of all scientist profiles. This process included cross-correlation against publications indexed in a wide array of trustworthy sources, thus ensuring accuracy and reliability in the representation of each scholar’s contributions.
While not factored into the ranking algorithm itself, the number of papers published in prominent journals and leading conference proceedings was also considered an important secondary signal of a scientist’s influence and contribution to their discipline.
The ranking positions are ultimately established using each researcher’s D-index derived from information gathered from OpenAlex and CrossRef, which are among the most prominent and trusted bibliometric databases available to the global research community.
For a comprehensive overview of the methodology employed, we encourage readers to visit our methodology page.
Research.com’s Mission and Agenda
Our mission at Research.com is to motivate researchers, companies, and policymakers worldwide to closely examine the trajectory of leading experts, fostering deeper awareness of key contributors within specific areas of study. By providing transparent and rigorously compiled rankings, we aim to offer the entire scientific community—including academic institutions—a reliable resource to identify and connect with top scholars not only in individual countries such as the Netherlands but also across global research landscapes.
This ranking reflects careful, meticulous work executed with the utmost commitment to accuracy, transparency, and academic integrity, reinforcing Research.com’s dedication to advancing informed scholarship and interdisciplinary collaboration.
