Scopus User Guide: Advanced Search

Use the Advanced document search  for a complete list of field codes and Boolean operators.

This is useful when the field code you need, such as author ID, is not available on the basic Document Search tab drop-down menu.

To execute an advanced search:

1. Enter your search terms using operators as necessary to connect them.
2. As you enter your search, Scopus may highlight suggested codes and provide code definitions and examples.  To add the suggested code to your search, press Enter.
3. Click Search. 

Search Tips in Scopus

•  use double quotation marks for a loose phrase

 “heart attack” will search for documents where heart and attack appear together 

• asterisk is a wildcard

 “criminal* insan*” finds criminally insane and criminal insanity. 

• enclose an exact phrase in braces  { }

Scopus provides the ability to search the list of cited references in articles, books, etc. If the reference which you are starting with is very relevant to your research, other related publications have probably cited references which are also relevant to your research. Cited reference searching is a useful extension to your standard keyword search.