The World's top 2% Scientists are compiled by researchers from Stanford University, who rank the top-2% of the most cited scientists in the world. The list is published by Elsevier.
The basis for the list is bibliometric data from Scopus, and the ranking from 2021, which is the most recent, is based on data for the period 1960-2020. Furthermore, in the dataset, the researchers are categorized into 22 research disciplines and 176 sub-disciplines. The ranking is calculated on the basis of the following indicators:
- total cites 1996-2020
- h-index as of end-2020
- hm-index as of end-2020
- number of single authored papers
- total cites to single authored papers
- number of single+first authored papers
- total cites to single+first authored papers
- number of single+first+last authored papers
- total cites to single+first+last authored paper
Based on these indicators, a composite score is calculated that ranks the top-2% of the most cited researchers independently of research disciplines. Two different ranking lists are calculated – one without self-citations and one with self-citations.
The dataset and code provides an update to previously released version 1 data under https://doi.org/10.17632/btchxktzyw.1
The version 2 dataset is based on the May 06, 2020 snapshot from Scopus and is updated to citation year 2019 available at https://doi.org/10.17632/btchxktzyw.2
This version (3) is based on the Aug 01, 2021 snapshot from Scopus and is updated to citation year 2020. https://doi.org/10.17632/btchxktzyw.3