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Scopus Training Module 1: Topical Search, Alerts and Analysis

Lesson Overview

In this lesson, we look at how Scopus can help you keep up to date with a research topic. You will learn how to:

  • Set up a personal Scopus account
  • Run a basic keyword search in Scopus
  • Access your search history
  • Edit your search
  • Save your search
  • Set up a search alert

Your Scopus Account

Set Up an Account

If you have a personal account, Scopus offers personalization features that allow you to set preferences, save searches, set up e-mail alerts, create RSS feeds of new articles from a search or topic, add applications to assist with research, and use mobile applications. You will also need an account if you wish to manage your Author profile.

To set up an account (it’s free!), first access Scopus through the UA Libraries.   In the upper right corner, click the "Create account" box. Fill in the information. Your email will be your username. 

(note:  If you have already created a personal account in another Elsevier product, like Mendeley or ScienceDirect, you do not need to create a new account in Scopus. You may log in with your Elsevier credentials.)

Tutorial: conduct a basic search

In this video tutorial, we follow a graduate student who wants to access research on applications of 3D printing in skin grafts. You will learn how to conduct searches and refine results.

Note: The Scopus interface has been updated since this video was created. The links to secondary documents, patents and datasets (via Mendeley Data) are now at the top of search results.

Note: For the best viewing experience, select the double arrows at the bottom right of the player to view the video at full screen. You can also download a written transcript  (Links to an external site.)of the video tutorial.

 

You are working with Kathleen, a first-year graduate student who is conducting research on climate change and kelp forests. She wants help finding the 10 most relevant journal articles on this topic published within the last five years. In this exercise, you will show Kathleen how to perform a basic search in Scopus, and how to refine and sort the results.

  1. Run a loose phrase search for climate change and kelp forests. (TIP: In Scopus quotation marks are used around loose phrases.) Record the number of results.
  2. Limit the results to journal articles published within the last five years.
  3. Sort the results list by Relevance.

Note: Refer to the answer key (Links to an external site.) for this assignment to check your results.

Tutorial: Save searches & set alerts

In this video tutorial, we follow a faculty member who needs to stay up-to-date with research on citizen science and whales. You will learn how to save searches and set up alerts.

Note: The Scopus interface has been updated since this video was created. The links to secondary documents, patents and datasets (via Mendeley Data) are now at the top of search results.

Note: For the best viewing experience, select the double arrows at the bottom right of the player to view the video at full screen. You can also download a written transcript (Links to an external site.) of the video tutorial.

Kathleen, the graduate student researching climate change and kelp forests, wants to receive an alert when new review articles are published on this topic. In this exercise, you will show Kathleen how to set up her search to find review articles, how to save the search to run again later, and how to set up an alert.

  1. Remind Kathleen that she should always log in before using Scopus. This allows her to take advantage of the personalization features.
  2. Run a search on climate change and kelp forests (or return to your search history to access the list of results).
  3. Limit your results to review articles only.
  4. Save this search.
  5. Set up a monthly alert for this search.
  6. Show Kathleen where she can check for new results for this saved search.
  7. Show Kathleen where to find her search history.

Note: Refer to the answer key (Links to an external site.) for this assignment to check your results.