RG score includes publications, questions, answers and followers. Dropping questions, answers and followers scores will give the correct capabilities of the researcher to publish in prestige journals.
From the examples of above researchers it is difficult for a researcher to cross 50 points of RG score from publications only. However, one can easily crosses 100 or 200 points of RG score from questions and answers because many questions and answers are trivial or repeated frequently on web.
In my field,
Prof. Mark V. Loosdrecht has remarkable total impact points 2,181.24 (RG score is 60.12) (see link)
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mark_Van_Loosdrecht
Thank you Dr Talib for your answer. Dr. Mark V. Loosdrecht has 85% of his RG score from publications that means 60.12x0.85=51.102. Victor V Moshchalkov from the researchers that I follow has an RG score of 51.38 which is 100% from publications.
There is also Alex Zunger from the researchers that I follow. He has an RG score of 51.44 which is also 100% from publications.
My point from raising this question is that RG publications score are more indicative than the total RG score, in fact questions and answers are overweight by at least a factor of 10. For the RG total score to be real indication of the difficulty in acquiring the score the weight of questions and answers should be divided by 10 so that the present researcher that acquires 100 RG score points from his questions and answers should be given 10 points only on questions and answers to be fair in weighing the total RG score.
Prof. Walte C. Willet has a remarkable publications only RG score (56.32, 100% publications)
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Walter_Willett/reputation
From the examples of above researchers it is difficult for a researcher to cross 50 points of RG score from publications only. However, one can easily crosses 100 or 200 points of RG score from questions and answers because many questions and answers are trivial or repeated frequently on web.
Dear Mudar Ahmed. Your question is a good one and I like your analysis, too. Lots of people in RG think similar. In fact, RG score has no realistic meaning as we see in H-index or IF. The RG algorithm is wrong and is not based on researchers profile but her/his activity in Q&A sessions. I think beside Publications, other measures such as impact points, reads, no. of followers, ... should be considered, too
Dear Dr Mudar Ahmed.
I think, most meaningful index is h-index excluding self-citations.
What is your idea about a ResearchGate member with below characteristics?
Publications: 190
Citations: 1865
RG Score (only publications): 36.8
h-index: 30
h-index excluding self-citations: 11
Thank you Dr Omid and Dr Vatankhah for your opinion. I agree with you that the RG score is misleading in many aspects. I also agree with you that the h index is a better indicator than RG score in giving a correct impression about the researcher successfulness.
It is worth noting that:
Professor Walter C Willett has h-index excluding self-citations=200
Professor Alex Zunger has h-index excluding self-citations=90
Professor Mark Van Loosdrecht has h-index excluding self-citations=79
All are scientist but Professor Walter C Willett is a real distinguished scientist in his research area.
Dear Dr. Vatankhah
I think the highest RG Score belong to Adam B Shapiro:
RG Score = 414.01 (8% Publications, 92% Answers)
h-index = 26, h-index (excluding self-citation) = 23
Surprisingly many of Nobel Prize winners in RG have RG scores of less than 50!
Dear Dr. Omid,
You are right.
Nobel Prize can be considered as an index but special index only for very top researchers.
h-index excluding self-citation seems good index for evaluating the researchers in academic communities.
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