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Comparison of scientometric achievements at PhD and scientific output ten years later for 4,790 academic researchers

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  • Gyöngyi Munkácsy
  • Péter Herman
  • Balázs Győrffy

Abstract

Introduction: PhD is the highest awarded degree offered by universities in different disciplines. Owners of a PhD can teach at universities, start independent research and receive a higher salary while further building a scientific career. We examined whether the publication output before the PhD degree has a correlation with subsequent research activities. Methods: We downloaded publication and citation data from the Hungarian Scientific Bibliography for Hungarian researchers who obtained PhD between the ages of 24 and 45. The researchers were grouped into eleven scientific sections. We examined the number of Q1 publications published in the previous 5 years, the H-index, the total number of citations for the last complete year, and the biological age of the researcher. Each parameter was computed for the year at which the PhD was obtained and ten years later. Pre-PhD publications (and citations for these) were excluded when assessing post-PhD track records. Spearman rank correlation and Kruskal-Wallis test were computed. Results: We analyzed all together 4,790 researchers. We obtained a positive correlation between the number of Q1 publications before and after PhD (corr. coeff. = 0.21–0.54, p

Suggested Citation

  • Gyöngyi Munkácsy & Péter Herman & Balázs Győrffy, 2022. "Comparison of scientometric achievements at PhD and scientific output ten years later for 4,790 academic researchers," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(7), pages 1-13, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0271218
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271218
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Giuseppe Lucio Gaeta & Giuseppe Lubrano Lavadera & Francesco Pastore, 2022. "The Effect of Job–Education Vertical Mismatch on Wages Among Recent PhD Graduates: Evidence From an Instrumental Variable Analysis," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 8(1), pages 197-225, March.
    3. Ellen Hazelkorn, 2007. "The Impact of League Tables and Ranking Systems on Higher Education Decision Making," Higher Education Management and Policy, OECD Publishing, vol. 19(2), pages 1-24.
    4. Daniel L Belavy & Patrick J Owen & Patricia M Livingston, 2020. "Do successful PhD outcomes reflect the research environment rather than academic ability?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(8), pages 1-14, August.
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    1. Matthieu Cisel & Pauline Antognelli & Nicolas Laudier, 2026. "Internationalization and online availability of doctoral research in France: contrasting scholarly fields," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 131(3), pages 1567-1590, March.
    2. Jing Gu & Yingdan Wu & Ying Shen & Hui Yu & Yuying Chen, 2025. "Current Trends and Research Hot Spots in Traumatic Birth: A Bibliometric Analysis," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 34(6), pages 287-303, July.
    3. Acharya, Vrinda & Acharya K, Aneesha & Gil, Mathew Thomas, 2026. "Understanding burnout in doctoral education: A Job Demands–Resources model perspective across types of university and program stages," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).

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