Scopus (ENG)

What is Scopus?

Scopus is the largest database of abstracts and bibliographic references of peer-reviewed scientific literature, developed by Elsevier. It stands out as being one of the main tools for scientific research, with a focus on specialised curatorship that includes peer-reviewed papers, books, and conference proceedings. The database covers a wide variety of areas, such as science, technology, medicine, social sciences, arts and humanities, and is a key resource for researchers and academics around the world.

As well as providing access to a wide range of publications, Scopus offers intelligent bibliometric tools that are essential for tracking, analysing, and visualising scientific research. These tools include citation metrics such as the h-index, which measures a researcher's productivity and impact based on the number of citations of their papers. This type of analysis is crucial for evaluating the influence of scientific work and for helping researchers' career progression.

What are the advantages?

• Comprehensive Access to Scientific Content: Scopus indexes a wide range of journals, conferences, and books, enabling users to access a wide variety of research. This helps researchers stay up-to-date in their fields of study and explore different approaches.

• Impact metrics: the platform provides data on citations, enabling users to assess the impact of papers and authors. Metrics such as the h-index help measure the relevance and productivity of research, facilitating decisions about funding and collaborations.

• Advanced Search Tools: Scopus offers advanced search functionalities that enables detailed searches using specific criteria, such as keywords and authors. This makes it easier to locate relevant studies and analyse existing literature.

• Trend Analysis: users can identify emerging trends and research areas of growing importance, which is essential for directing future research and collaborations.

• Author and Institution Profiles: the platform enables the creation of author profiles, where it is possible to view scientific production and citations. This is useful both for individual researchers and for institutions/universities that wish to evaluate the performance of their members.

• Integration with other tools: Scopus can be integrated with various bibliographic management platforms and other research resources, making it easier to organise and reference scientific work.

• Ease of Access: although Scopus requires a subscription, many institutions/universities offer access to all their members, ensuring that researchers can use the platform at no extra cost.

Available content and coverage

Scopus content dates back to 1788, with references available since the 1970s. The selection and review of this content is carried out by an independent Content Selection and Advisory Board (CSAB), made up of an international group of scientists and researchers with extensive experience in journal publishing, representing the main scientific disciplines indexed on the platform. Throughout the year, CSAB members are responsible for evaluating all new titles proposed for indexing, ensuring that the quality of Scopus content remains consistent and rigorous.

Content available on Scopus:

• Papers: research or opinion publications in scientific journals. These include sections such as abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and references, which can vary in length, as well as case reports, technical notes, and short communications.

• Papers-in-Pre-Publication (AiP): a paper that has already been accepted and has been made available online before official publication.

• Conference Proceedings: publications that report data presented at conferences or symposia. These can vary in length from short abstracts to full papers.

• Editorials: texts providing summaries of papers, editorial opinions, or news, all of which are usually identified as editorials, introductions, or prefaces.

• Books: monographs or entire books. Each chapter is also indexed individually when identified as such.

• Book chapters: specific sections of books, which are identified as chapters.

• Bibliographic data: detailed bibliographic references which enable citations to be tracked and research to be linked.

• Impact metrics: indicators that evaluate the influence and relevance of scientific publications, based on the number of citations they receive and the quality of the sources that cite them.

Coverage:

Scopus offers the broadest and most integrated coverage of peer-reviewed literature and quality web sources, covering science, technology, and medicine (STM), as well as social sciences and arts & humanities (A&H).

Titles in Scopus are categorised into four major subject groups (life sciences, physical sciences, health sciences, and social sciences & humanities), which in turn are divided into 27 main areas and more than 300 smaller areas. A title can belong to more than one subject area.