TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose The purpose of this paper is to show how bibliometrics would benefit from a stronger programme of construct validity.Design/methodology/approach The value of the construct validity concept is demonstrated by applying this approach to the evaluation of the h-index, a widely used metric.Findings The paper demonstrates that the h-index comprehensively fails any test of construct validity. In simple terms, the metric does not measure what it purports to measure. This conclusion suggests that the current popularity of the h-index as a topic for bibliometric research represents wasted effort, which might have been avoided if researchers had adopted the approach suggested in this paper.Research limitations/implications This study is based on the analysis of a single bibliometric concept.Practical implications The conclusion that the h-index fails any test in terms of construct validity implies that the widespread use of this metric within the higher education sector as a management tool represents poor practice, and almost certainly results in the misallocation of resources.Social implications This paper suggests that the current enthusiasm for the h-index within the higher education sector is misplaced. The implication is that universities, grant funding bodies and faculty administrators should abandon the use of the h-index as a management tool. Such a change would have a significant effect on current hiring, promotion and tenure practices within the sector, as well as current attitudes towards the measurement of academic performance.Originality/value The originality of the paper lies in the systematic application of the concept of construct validity to bibliometric enquiry.
VL  - 72
IS  - 5
SN  - 0022-0418
DO  - 10.1108/JD-10-2015-0127
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-10-2015-0127
AU  - Barnes Cameron Stewart
PY  - 2016
Y1  - 2016/01/01
TI  - The construct validity of the h-index
T2  - Journal of Documentation
PB  - Emerald Group Publishing Limited
SP  - 878
EP  - 895
Y2  - 2024/09/19
ER  -