A scientist’s position within the ranking is determined by their Discipline H-index (D-index), a refined metric that considers only publications and citation metrics confined to the specific discipline under examination. This focus on discipline-specific impact ensures that the ranking reflects expertise and influence exclusively within the domain of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Scope and Criteria of the Ranking
For this edition, a total of 279,971 scientist profiles were examined across all disciplines using a diverse array of bibliometric data sources. From this broad base, 1,000 scientists specializing in the Social Sciences and Humanities were specifically identified and assessed.
To qualify for inclusion in the ranking, scientists must have attained a minimum D-index of 30, with the majority of their tier publications published explicitly in the Social Sciences and Humanities. Additionally, recognition of a scientist’s awards and achievements within the field was factored into the selection process, contributing to a holistic quality assessment.
The threshold for the D-index is dynamically set, adjusted in increments of 10 based on the estimated total number of scholars within each discipline. This approach ensures that the top 1% of leading scholars are inclusively and appropriately represented in the ranking. Furthermore, to maintain disciplinary focus, a proximity threshold is applied whereby the difference between a scientist’s general H-index and their D-index remains within 30%, avoiding disproportionate cross-disciplinary influence.
Verification and Methodological Rigor
The Research.com team acknowledges the limitations inherent in raw bibliometric data and recognizes that such data alone cannot provide an absolute evaluation of scholarly output. Accordingly, all scientist profiles included in the ranking underwent thorough manual verification. This process included cross-correlation of publication records against a wide spectrum of trusted and reputable sources to ensure accuracy and reliability.
While not directly impacting a researcher’s ranking position, the number of publications in prominent journals and conference proceedings is regarded as an important secondary indicator of a scientist’s contribution to their specific area of study.
The ranking position itself is firmly established using each researcher’s Discipline H-index derived from OpenAlex and CrossRef—two of the most prominent and widely respected bibliometric databases available to the research community worldwide. For a comprehensive understanding of the methodology employed in constructing the ranking, please visit our methodology page.
Research.com’s Mission and Vision
Research.com is dedicated to motivating researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers around the globe to understand the trajectories and focal areas of leading experts. By providing transparent and rigorously developed rankings, our goal is to facilitate the global scientific community’s awareness of who the foremost experts are within specific disciplines, countries, or research institutions.
This ranking serves as both a recognition of individual scholarly achievement and a navigational tool, empowering stakeholders to foster collaborations, allocate resources strategically, and stimulate innovation across the Social Sciences and Humanities landscape.
