A Fuzzy-Based Scoring Rule for Author Ranking

Abstract

The measurement of the quality of research has reached nowadays an increasing interest not only for scientific reasons but also for the critical problem of researchers' ranking, due to the lack of grant assignments. The most commonly used approach is based on the so-called $h$-index, even if the current literature debated a lot about its pros and cons. This paper, after a brief review of the $h$-index and of alternative models, focuses on the characterization and the implementation of a modified scoring rule approach by means of a fuzzy inference system a là Sugeno.

Keywords: Research evaluation, bibliometrics, author ranking, $h$-index, scoring rules, fuzzy inference system

JEL Classification: C02, I23, Z19