  The h-index is a mainstream bibliometric indicator, since it is widely used
in academia, research management and research policy. While its advantages have
been highlighted, such as its simple calculation, it has also received
widespread criticism. The criticism is mainly based on the negative effects it
may have on scholars, when the index is used to describe the quality of a
scholar. The "h" means "highly-cited" and "high achievement", and should not be
confused with the last name of its inventor, Hirsch. Put simply, the h-index
combines a measure of quantity and impact in a single indicator. Several
initiatives try to provide alternatives to the h-index to counter some of its
shortcomings.
