The Hirsch index (h-index) is one of the key indicators of a researcher’s scientific standing when applying for grants, academic positions, and international programs. It was devised by physicist Jorge Hirsch in 2005, and since then it has become the standard metric for evaluation at most scientific institutions around the world.
The formula is simple: a researcher has an h-index of h if exactly h of their publications have each been cited at least h times. For example, h = 15 means that 15 of the author’s papers have at least 15 citations each.
But exactly how to increase it—that’s where the misconceptions begin. Let’s break down what actually works and what doesn’t. And here’s an important point right off the bat: the Hirsch index is calculated only based on verified databases—Scopus and Web of Science. That’s why choosing the right journal is critically important. For more details on how journals are reviewed prior to publication, see our separate article.
7 Factors That Really Work
1. Citations: Quality Matters More Than Quantity
The core mechanism of the Hirsch index is not the number of publications, but the number of highly cited articles. A single highly popular article with 10,000 citations increases the h-index just as much as an article with 50 citations—provided that both exceed the current h-threshold.
To advance from h = 15 to h = 16, 16 articles must each receive at least 16 citations. This is a fundamentally different challenge than simply «writing more articles.».
2. Choosing a Journal: Scopus vs. Web of Science
The Hirsch index depends on which database it is calculated using: the same article may be included in Scopus but not in WoS, and vice versa.
• Scopus covers more than 28,000 active journals; WoS covers about 21,000;
• Approximately 80–85% journals in the Web of Science are also indexed in Scopus;
• Scopus is preferable for applied and regional research, while WoS is preferable for traditional academic metrics.
Strategic conclusion: publishing in Q1–Q2 journals indexed in both Scopus and WoS ensures maximum visibility. It is important to understand which publishers’ journals will never be removed from Scopus—this is the foundation of a long-term strategy.
3. International Co-authorship
International co-authorship is one of the most well-documented factors contributing to an increase in citation rates. An analysis of 60 leading universities across five continents over a 10-year period confirmed that publications with international co-authors consistently achieve a higher citation impact.
Specific figure: International co-authorship results in up to 5.0 additional citations per article compared to publications without it.
4. Open Access: Open access increases citation rates
The open access citation advantage (OACA) is a consistent phenomenon. A systematic review of 134 studies showed that 47.8% confirm the existence of the OACA.
Lower estimate of the effect: +201 TP3T citations for open-access articles compared to non-open-access articles.
Practical tip: Post preprints on arXiv, PubMed Central, Zenodo, or institutional repositories—this is one of the most affordable ways to increase the visibility of your article at no additional cost.
5. Self-citation: legitimate, but in moderation
Self-citation is a standard academic practice. The accepted benchmark is that up to 12–15% self-citations are considered normal in most disciplines.
According to an analysis of 5,000 researcher profiles, the traditional h-index is inflated by an average of 13.9% due to self-citations. Strategic self-citation can temporarily boost the metric, but it is easily detected upon detailed analysis.
6. Verified profiles on academic platforms
An active and verified profile is not a direct factor in the Hirsch index, but it is a significant factor in visibility, which translates into citations.
• Google Scholar: the widest coverage (including preprints);
• Scopus Author ID: rigorous verification; official citation count for grant applications;
• ORCID: links publications from different databases to a single profile.
7. Article Title and Keywords
The strategic selection of keywords and the choice of title directly affect an article’s discoverability. Current trends in scientific publications for 2026 confirm that: metadata optimization is becoming increasingly important.
• Place the most important keywords at the beginning of the abstract;
• Use synonyms in the title, abstract, and list of keywords;
• Avoid figurative names—specific terms work better.
3 «Methods» That Don't Work
Method 1: Mass Publication in Low-Impact Journals
The mathematics behind the Hirsch index refutes the logic that «more publications = a higher index.» An article in a journal with zero readership that no one cites has no effect on the h-index—it simply adds to the «tail» of the distribution.
Studies confirm that the index grows more slowly for authors who spread themselves too thin across a large number of insignificant publications, compared to those who focus on a small number of significant works.
Method 2: Publishing in predatory journals
Predatory journals do not contribute to the Hirsch index for several reasons at once. Kazakhstani scientists have already suffered significant losses—the top 5 predatory journals, where researchers have lost hundreds of millions of tenge—a detailed analysis is provided in a separate article.
• Most are not indexed in Scopus or WoS—citations from them do not count;
• Colleagues in the field recognize such journals and avoid citing works from them;
• The risk of investigations by academic ethics committees.
It’s also important to keep an eye on journals that will soon lose their Scopus indexing—publishing in such a journal will nullify all your efforts.
Method 3: Abuse of Self-Citation
Overuse of self-citations creates the illusion of growth, but it is easily detected upon closer examination.
Specific risks associated with exceeding the standard (~25–30%):
• Rejection or return of a manuscript by reviewers;
• Decline in journal metrics (Scopus and WoS track abnormal self-citations);
• Classification as a violation of research ethics;
• A hidden discount from experts when evaluating grant applications.
About how researchers are deceived by journals that are «supposedly» indexed in Scopus—read a detailed analysis with examples.
Hierarchy of Factors: Setting Priorities
To summarize what has been said, the priorities for increasing the Hirsch index are as follows—from most effective to least effective:
1. Quality of publications—one article in a Q1 journal with 50+ citations is more valuable than 10 articles with zero citations;
2. International collaboration is one of the most well-documented factors;
3. Open-access publication — +20–30% in citation impact at no cost;
4. Publication exclusively in Scopus/WoS journals is a requirement;
5. Optimizing titles and keywords — speeds up indexing and improves discoverability;
6. Verified profiles (Scopus Author ID, ORCID, Google Scholar) — a factor in visibility.
How does the Academy of Articles help Kazakhstani scientists?
Knowing these seven factors raises a logical question: How can they be applied systematically? The Article Academy helps researchers from Kazakhstan get published in Scopus and Web of Science journals—the very ones that actually influence the Hirsch index.
We help:
• Find a journal for Q1–Q2 in your field;
• Avoid predatory publishers and journals, or face expulsion;
• Be published in verified journals where citations actually count.
Want to boost your Hirsch index? Learn more about our h-index improvement service →
Conclusion
The Hirsch Index is neither a lottery nor the result of random publications. It is a measurable metric that grows according to clear rules.
Real growth is driven by high-quality articles in Scopus and Web of Science journals, international collaboration, open access to publications, and effective search engine optimization for academic databases.
The three approaches that seem like shortcuts—mass publication in low-impact journals, predatory publishers, and the abuse of self-citation—not only fail to work but also create reputational risks that are difficult to remedy.
The main principle: every publication should contribute to increasing citation counts. A single article in the right journal, read by the right audience, contributes more to the Hirsch index than ten articles in journals that no one reads.
The Article Academy places citations to your work in actual scientific articles published in journals indexed by Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.
What you get:
which are counted specifically in the databases used to calculate your h-index;
from $7 for citations in Google Scholar, from $15 in Scopus and WoS;
if the result is not achieved;
