Five scholars from Shanxi University (SXU) were included on the list of 2020 most-cited Chinese researchers released on April 22 by Elsevier, a Netherlands-based global information analytics business.

The five scholars are Liang Jiye, Qian Yuhua, Jin Zhen, Zhang Jing and Zhang Jianzhen, and they are engaged in computer science, mathematics, biology and physics.

The ranking was based on Elsevier's Scopus database, the world's largest literature abstract and citation database.

It contains more than 24,000 journals and 9.8 million academic conference papers published by more than 5,000 publishers around the world, covering natural sciences, technology, engineering, medicine, social sciences, arts and the humanities.

Inclusion on Elsevier's list of most-cited Chinese researchers means that a scholar's total number of citations (as the first author or corresponding author of a paper) is at the top level among all researchers in a particular field in China.

It also indicates that the academic has made outstanding contributions to developing a specific academic field and has a strong influence worldwide.

The list of 2020 selected 4,023 academics from 373 universities or research institutions and engaged in 84 academic fields.

Shanxi University ranked 113th among Chinese universities for the number of included scholars.