Scopus (ENG)

Refining results using filters

Refining results in Scopus through the use of filters is an important technique for optimising the search for scientific literature and for ensuring that the information collected is relevant and appropriate for the objectives of the study. The platform offers various filtering options that help researchers find relevant papers more effectively.

Here are some of the main filters that you can use:

• Document Type: you can choose from journal papers, conferences, reviews, patents, and more. This enables you to focus only on the type of work that you need.
• Time Period: filtering by years helps you limit the results to a specific period, which is useful for tracking recent trends or for literature reviews (Note: to focus on recent trends, restrict the search to papers from the last 10 years).
• Area of Study: Scopus enables you to filter the results by research area, such as health sciences, social sciences, engineering, etc. This is useful for narrowing down the search to your area of interest.
• Institution/University: if you are interested in works from a particular university or institution, this filter enables you to limit the results to that specific source.
• Language: filtering by language can be important if you prefer to read papers in Portuguese, English, or another specific language.

To apply these filters, simply use the options available in the sidebar of the Scopus search results page. This helps to refine the search and find more pertinent information, saving time and increasing the effectiveness of the search.

Organising results by relevance

In Scopus, search results appear sorted by relevance, ensuring that the publications most pertinent to your research topic appear at the top of the list. However, you can reorder the results in various ways to better suit your specific needs. For example, you can choose to sort the results by:

• Publication date: to see the most recent publications first.
• Number of citations: to identify the most cited publications, which may have a significant impact on your field of study.
• Author or title: to organise the results according to your specific interests in authors or topics.

These sorting options enable you to adjust the presentation of the results to that which you consider most relevant or useful for your research.

Exporting results

Exporting results in Scopus is a useful feature for saving, sharing, and analysing the references found during your research. The platform offers various export options for different formats and purposes. Here are the steps for exporting results in Scopus:

1st - Carry out the search: start by carrying out your search on Scopus, using keywords, authors, titles, or other relevant criteria. Once you obtain the results, you can then filter or sort them as necessary, ensuring that only the most relevant are exported.

2nd - Select the results: you can select individual results by ticking the boxes next to each paper, or select all the results from a specific page.

3rd - Choose the export option: once you have selected the results you want, click on the ‘Export’ option and then various export options will be displayed, enabling you to choose the appropriate format and destination for your data.

4th - Select the export format: Scopus offers several export format options, depending on the purpose:

• CSV: this format is widely used to export data in tabular form, enabling it to be imported into spreadsheets (such as Excel) or software that processes large volumes of data. This is ideal for analysing data quantitatively.
• RIS: a standard file format for exporting bibliographic references, which is compatible with most reference managers, such as EndNote, RefWorks, and Zotero.
• BibTeX: is a format that is widely used in scientific research environments, especially in areas such as mathematics and computer science. It is often used with LaTeX to generate citations and bibliographies.
• Plain text: exports references in plain text format, which is useful for direct visualisation or for when a basic format is required for manual editing.
• Mendeley: Scopus exports directly to this software.
• RefWorks, Zotero, EndNote: are all compatible via RIS files.
• SciVal: Scopus exports to the SciVal platform for performance analysis and research.

5th - Customise the export: before exporting, you can customise what you want to include in the exported file. You can choose to include the full details of the record, such as title, authors, and abstracts, among others, or just basic information, such as the title and authors.

6th - Finalise the export: after choosing the format and customising the options, click on ‘Export’ to start the process. The file will then be downloaded to your computer or exported directly to your chosen software.

7th - Reviewing the Exported File: after completing the export, open the file to check that the results have been exported correctly. Depending on the format, you may need to format the file or import the data into the reference management software you use. Make sure that all the necessary information is present and that the format is in line with your specific needs.