A-Z Databases: Scopus: Library Guide

Learn how to perform an advanced search on Scopus, by Elsevier B.V.

Scopus Tutorials (2018) How to use advanced search. Available at: https://youtu.be/0oQ5qsDMoFE (Accessed: 24 November 2020).

Literature Searching 

• To find good quality journal articles, especially research studies, on a wide variety of topics in the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences and humanities.
• To find conference proceedings in mathematical sciences, engineering and physics.
• To find leading research-oriented textbooks in the arts and humanities.
• To see comprehensive listings of a specific author's research output.
• To find potential collaborating institutions and authors in your field.

Metrics and Analysis

• To see comprehensive listings of a specific author's research output.
• To analyse research being published in a given field.
  • This can allow researchers to find potential collaborating institutions and authors in their field.

Basic Search

The Basic search is a quick access search, most appropriate in most cases for both novice and experienced users.  

• Documents: Enter keywords and phrases describing what you want to search (e.g. logistics innovation) onto the search line for a quick guided search.
• Author: quickly search for a specific author by name, affiliation (institution) or ORCID ID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID), if known.
• Affiliation: quickly search for publications from those registered with a specific institution.

With SCOPUS, you can include many recommended search functions in a basic search:

• Boolean searching:
  • AND (+) - narrows down the results. All connected terms must be included in the results, e.g. logistics AND supply chain
  • OR (|) - broadens out the results. Either connected term can be included in the results, e.g. logistics OR supply chain
  • NOT (-) narrows down the results. The second term must be excluded from the results, e.g. "logistics innovation" NOT patenting
• Exact phrase search - including the terms in curly brackets {} to ensure they appear together, e.g. {logistics innovation}  
• Truncation symbol * to find variations of word endings, e.g. leaders* will find leaders and leadership

Advanced Search

Use the Advanced Search for complex searches with multiple elements.  If desirable, use the field code options to integrate many of your selection criteria into your initial search.

• Field Code - use this option, and the +key icon, to apply specific limits to your search.  Options include:
  • Affiliation: Identify and assess an affiliation’s scholarly output, collaborating institutions and top authors.
  • Author search, including ORCID ID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID).
  • Publication type, including unique DOI numbers.
  • Subject areas.

Go to Databases A-Z and select "Scopus".
Select Find My Institution then use your student/staff username and password to access.

Scopus is primarily a citation and abstracting service.  Some items are available in full text though. 

Select 'Open Access' to view articles which are available on a 'full text to all' basis.  Select 'View through publisher' to see the abstract on the original site, and any related full text links.

If the article is unavailable through our subscriptions, you may also be able to get the article by requesting an Interlibrary Loan (ILL).

• See tips on using Scopus effectively in the video tutorials on the Scopus YouTube channel. 
• Click on your initials top right to see your saved searches and set personalised options, e.g. reference management settings.  Saving your searches is recommended for longer term projects.
• Select the Analyse search results option at the top of your results listing to assess the research evidence base on your topic.  The graphs show analysis by year, country, publication type, subject area and more - see  Scopus' (2018) How to analyse your search results video for further details.
• Select the Datasearch option to view any available research data on your topic.
• Use the linked SciVal service for more detailed assessment of researcher affiliations, collaborations and institutional activities. 
• Follow Elsevier, publisher of Scopus on Twitter - @ElsevierConnect.

• Email library@uws.ac.uk 
• Ask at a campus library Info Point
• Telephone 0141 848 3888