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How to search Scopus

Loose phrase searching

When you type phrases into the search box some databases will assume you want a phrase and others will search for the words as unconnected terms. To search for a phrase instead of a group of unconnected terms you need to format your search in a particular way.

In Scopus, you use quotation marks to search for a loose phrase search. This means that in the search results the words in the quotation marks:

  • must be in the order they are typed
  • must be next to each other
  • may be in plural form
  • may be in either British and American English spelling
  • may have punctuation occurring between the words or at the end of the words

e.g. 

  • "cell phone"
  • "distracted driving"
  • "young drivers"

screen capture of scopus search box with "distracted driving" typed into the search box

Note: one key benefit of using quotation marks for loose phrase searching is that you can also use truncation and wildcards in your search.

e.g "distract* driv*"

Search results in this case may include distraction driving, distraction driver, distracted driver, distracted drivers, distracted driving, distracted-driving and more.

Elsevier. “How Can I Best Use the Advanced Search? Find Exact or Approximate Phrases or Words.” Scopus: Access and Use Support Center, 16 Feb. 2024, https://service.elsevier.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/11365/c/10545/supporthub/scopus/related/1/#panel2b.

What's the difference?

screen capture of scopus search history for a search for cell phone and then another search for "cell phone"

This is a screen capture of the Scopus search history for a search on the phrase cell phone. 

  • 2 shows a search for ("cell phone"), finding 22,868 results.
  • 1 shows a search for which originally was entered as (cell phone).  Scopus then interpreted this search as (cell AND phone), finding 26,863 results.

Search 2 using quotation marks, is a more focused search with 3,995 fewer results than search 1. Because the words have to occur together the results will be more relevant as well.

See also...