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Scopus: Saving searches and alerts

Use this guide to help you search Scopus more effectively and to find out how to manage your search results. After reading this introductory page, click each heading in the following row of tabs:

What are saved searches and alerts?

Saved searches: Scopus gives you the option to save a search. You can then re-run that saved search at a later date (without having to re-enter all your search terms again) and you'll retrieve an updated set of results. Of course, you may want to modify or expand your keywords if you've developed your knowledge of a topic's terminology since your original search.
 

Email alerts: To help you maintain current awareness of your topic, Scopus also gives you the option to set up an email alert that will inform you of:

  • New articles on your topic that have been indexed by Scopus since your original search (i.e. based on the keywords that you entered).
  • The latest articles written by an individual author (indexed by Scopus).
  • The latest tables of contents from a journal (although you may prefer to set up a journal alert in the relevant journal website instead).

Before saving searches & alerts

  • To save searches and set up email alerts, you need to have set up a free personal account with Scopus. If you see your initials displayed in the top right corner of the Scopus screen, you are already signed into you account. 
     
  • If you don't see your initials, you need to click the sign-in button (in the top right corner) and click 'confirm your institution'. 
     
  • If you don't have a Scopus account: click 'create account' (near the top right-hand corner) and register as instructed. Then, click 'sign in'.
     
  • If you set up a separate Scopus account in previous years, the above registration and sign-in processes may not work, and you may not be able to access previously saved searches/alerts. To reinstate access, try adding your institution's name to your Scopus profile. If you require further help, please email Scopus.

Video: saving searches & alerts

 

Instructions: saving searches & alerts

The ‘Save search’ and ‘Set search alert’ options appear above your search results, to the left of the search boxes.

If the following instructions don't work, try clearing the cache and cookies on your device - then try again. If you're still unsuccessful, click the 'see what is new' link above your results. Then, towards the end of the pop-up page, click "return to original version" .This will take you to the same set of results but in a slightly different interface (in which you should now be able to save your results). 
 

Saving searches: Search on a topic of your choice and click the ‘save search’ option. A dialog box appears. Choose and enter a name for your search into the box and click 'save'.  

 

 

 

To retrieve and re-run a saved search (i.e. the next time you enter Scopus): make sure that you're signed into your personal/institutional account (you're already signed in if your initials appear in the top right corner). Click on your initials. A drop-down menu appears featuring options including saved searches, alerts and saved lists. To re-run a previous search, click Saved Searches to take you to a list of previous searches. To re-run a search, click the curved arrow icon within the relevant listed search. To delete a previous search, click the trash can icon.

Combining saved searches: You can also use the saved searches screen to combine sets of results (using the number assigned to the relevant search). For example, you could enter #1 AND #2 to retrieve an overlapping set of results. Alternatively, you could enter #1 OR #2 to retrieve all results from across both sets (duplicated results are excluded). 
 

Creating email alerts: Go back to your search results. Click ‘set alert’ (located just above your results). A dialog box appears. Enter your email address. Select a name for the alert and set your preferred frequency for receiving the alert. Finally, click ‘set alert’.

You can edit or delete previous alerts: click your initials in the top right-hand corner of the screen and then click ‘Alerts’. Find the alert you want to edit/delete. Here you find a 'trash can' icon for deleting and a pencil icon for editing.

You can also set up a document citation alert for a specific article. You then receive an email if the article is cited by another article in the future (if the citing article is indexed by Scopus). To do this, enter the full Scopus record for the article (click the article title in your list of search results). Click ‘set citation alert’ (in the right-hand column). Enter your email address. Select a name for the alert, and your preferred frequency for receiving the alert. Finally, click ‘set alert’.