16.5 Summary

So to cut a long story short:

• Academic performance in terms of citation impact can differ enormously depending on the data source and metrics used.
• It is not normally appropriate to compare citation records across disciplines. If one has to do so, Google Scholar is the most appropriate data source.
• The Hi-index and Hc-index (or Hirsch's m or Individual m) are more appropriate metrics to compare academics across disciplines and career stages than the traditional h-index.
• Academics in the Sciences out-perform academics in the Social Sciences and Humanities by a factor of 17.5 if one considers the traditional performance indicator: ISI General Search citations.
• Academics in the Social Sciences and Humanities out-perform academics in the Sciences when using a more comprehensive data-source and correcting for career stage and the number of co-authors.