About Us
World's Top 2% Scientists
Stanford University’s list of “World’s Top 2%” scientists is based on a 2% or above percentile rank, or the top 100,000 by c-score (with and without self-citations). This prestigious list identifies the world’s leading researchers, representing approximately 2% of all scientists worldwide. It encompasses standardized data on citations, h-index, and a wide range of bibliometric indicators. Researchers are classified into 22 scientific fields and 174 sub-fields, drawing from Scopus data provided by Elsevier through ICSR Lab.
Stanford/Elsevier's Top 2% Scientist Rankings
Stanford’s Top 2% Scientists is an esteemed ranking that identifies the most cited scholars in their fields. This ranking, derived from Scopus database data, highlights researchers whose work has had a significant impact across various scientific disciplines.
Methodology
The ranking is based on a composite indicator (c-score) calculated from six citation metrics:
- Total citations (NC)
- H-index (H)
- Hm-index (H-index adjusted for the number of authors)
- Citations to single-author papers (NCS)
- Citations to single or first-author papers (NCSF)
- Citations to single, first, or last-author papers (NCFSL)
The c-score combines these metrics to provide a comprehensive
measure of a scientist's impact, accounting for both the quantity
and the quality of their contributions.
Selection Criteria
Top 100,000 Scientists: Scholars are ranked based on their c-score, including and excluding self-citations. 2% Percentile: Scientists in the top 2% of their sub-field are also included. Field and Sub-field Classification: Researchers are categorized into 22 scientific fields and 174 sub-fields based on the standard Science-Metrix classification.
Data And Updates
- Career-long Impact: Metrics cover the entire career of a scientist up to the end of current year-1.
- Recent Year Impact: Metrics focus on citations received during current year-1.
- Latest Version: This latest version is based on the Scopus snapshot of October 1, current year.
- Transparency and Accessibility: This is a publicly accessible database that includes standardized information on citations, h-index, co-authorship adjusted h-index, and the c-score. Metrics are available with and without self-citations, and field-specific percentiles are included for all scientists with at least five papers.
For more detailed information, visit the ICSR Lab.