February 2019
Scopus and Web of Science (WOS) are the two largest abstract and citation databases available. These two databases each offer the ability to search across 50+ million peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, and books.
What They Cover
Both databases contain content from thousands of publishers of peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, and books. Scopus has stronger coverage of foreign-language titles, engineering, and technology. Web of Science has stronger coverage in the biological sciences.
Which Should I Use?
Both! Depending on your specific field and research topic you will likely find one has more results than the other. While there is significant overlap between these two tools, both contain thousands of unique journals and other sources.
Researcher Metrics
Scopus and Web of Science offer tools for researcher metrics which include:
- Citation counts for each article
- Author publication lists
- Researcher profiles and metrics (Scopus only)
You can also view our guide on impact metrics for more information.
Have questions or want to know more about Scopus or Web of Science? Contact our Engineering Librarian, Steve Jeffery.
You can also contact your subject librarian with any of your questions or needs. Find yours here.
