1. What is Author Impact Factor?

The Author Impact Factor is a simple metric that measures the average citation impact of an author's publications. It is calculated by dividing the total number of citations by the total number of publications.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Author Impact Factor formula:

Where:

• \( Citations \) — Total number of citations received by the author
• \( Publications \) — Total number of publications by the author

Explanation: The formula provides the average number of citations per publication, giving an indication of the author's research impact.

3. Importance of Author Impact Factor

Details: While simple, this metric can help evaluate an author's research influence when comparing researchers with similar publication counts. It complements other metrics like h-index.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the total number of citations and publications. Publications must be at least 1. The result is dimensionless (citations per publication).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How does this differ from journal impact factor?
A: Journal impact factor measures citations to a journal's articles, while author impact factor measures citations to an individual researcher's work.

Q2: What is a good author impact factor?
A: Values vary by field. In high-citation fields, 5+ might be good, while in others, 1-2 might be respectable. Compare with peers in your discipline.

Q3: What are limitations of this metric?
A: It doesn't account for co-authorship, career length, or field differences. Highly cited single publications can skew the average.

Q4: Should I use this for tenure/promotion decisions?
A: It should be one of several metrics considered, not the sole criterion. Always consider field norms and other qualitative factors.

Q5: How can I improve my author impact factor?
A: Focus on producing high-quality work that gets cited, collaborate strategically, and ensure your work is discoverable and accessible.