In order for your scientific article to be successful in the scientific community, to be actively cited by other scientists and to increase the Hirsch index, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to the selection of a database for publication. There are many different databases, the most authoritative of which are Scopus and Web of Science. However, many researchers have a question: which database is better to choose? In this article we will review the features of Scopus and Web of Science, and highlight the key differences between them.
Common characteristics of Scopus and Web of Science
Publications in reputable journals play a key role in the process of promotion and professional development of scientists. They not only testify to the competence of a researcher and the significance of his/her scientific work, but also open up opportunities for obtaining academic degrees and grants. That is why the choice of a database for the placement of a scientific article should be thorough and balanced.
Among the leading international scientometric databases, the most authoritative are Scopus and Web of Science. Both platforms cover articles, conference proceedings, books and other scientific publications, and provide information on various scientometric indicators of scientists and scientific journals.
Although the databases share the same purpose (storing and providing access to different types of scientific publications), there are a number of differences in their functionality. The choice between these platforms depends on the research topic, publication requirements, and the author's goals – whether to increase citations, gain scientific recognition, or expand opportunities for collaboration with other scientists.
Comparative characteristics of Scopus and Web of Science: what is the difference?
1. Thematic direction
It is worth noting that despite the fact that both databases index publications from different disciplines, each of them has its own thematic direction. For example, Scopus focuses on the humanities, while Web of Science focuses on the exact sciences. In the image below, you can see which sciences we are talking about.
2. Publication coverage
Scopus and Web of Science have differences in the temporal coverage of research. It is a matter of dating the oldest publications. Scopus contains material dating back to 1788, while Web of Science indexes material from 1900 onwards. With access to archival research, scientists are able to analyse the dynamics of changing scientific trends, study the evolution of ideas and methods, and identify important changes in scientific disciplines over time. Such analyses are important for anticipating new directions and developing innovative scientific strategies.
There are also differences in the amount of scientific material that databases provide access to.
Scopus:
- more than 2.4 billion citations;
- about 28,000 journals;
- more than 97.3 million records;
- over 19 million author profiles;
- over 94,000 organisation profiles;
- more than 7,000 publishers.
Web of Science:
- more than 22,000 journals;
- over 95 million records of journal, conference, and book content;
- over 2 billion citations.
3. Journal selection process
Each database has its own approach to evaluating scientific journals that qualify for indexing.
Scopus. For a publication to be included in the database, it must fulfil a number of criteria in 5 categories:
- journal policy (compelling editorial policy; type of peer review; diversity in geographic distribution of editors; diversity in geographic distribution of authors);
- content (academic contribution to the field; clarity of abstracts; quality and relevance to the stated aims and scope of the journal; readability of articles);
- journal reputation (citation of journal articles in Scopus; credibility of the editor);
- publication regularity (no delays or interruptions in the publication schedule);
- online access (full journal content is available online; journal homepage is in English; quality of the journal homepage).
Web of Science. There are 4 stages of selection that each journal must pass through in order to be included in this database. The table below summarises all the stages with the criteria for evaluating the publication (there are 24 in total).
|
№ |
Stage |
Criteria |
|
1. |
Primary sorting |
|
|
2. |
Editorial sorting |
|
|
3. |
Editorial evaluation (journal quality) |
|
|
4. |
Editorial evaluation (journal impact) |
|
4. Metrics
Web of Science and Scopus use different metrics to assess the impact of scientific publications, journals and authors.
Web of Science:
- Impact Factor (IF) – the average number of citations of journal articles over a certain period.
- H-index – an indicator of a scientist's productivity and influence (takes into account the number of publications and their citations).
- Eigenfactor Score – evaluates the influence of the journal in the scientific community.
- Journal Citation Indicator (JCI) – a unified indicator of a journal's citations compared to similar publications in a particular scientific field.
Scopus:
- CiteScore – the average number of citations per journal article over the last four years.
- SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) – takes into account not only the number, but also the ‘weight’ of citations, based on the authority of sources.
- Source Normalised Impact per Paper (SNIP) – assesses the impact of journals relative to others from the same discipline.
These metrics help researchers to select authoritative journals, analyse the impact of their publications and assess the development of scientific trends.
Both databases index high quality journals and provide tools for analysis, but have a number of differences, which we have outlined in this article. Which one should you choose? It all depends on your goals and the topic area of your research. However, whichever path you choose, the success of your publication ultimately depends on the quality of the paper itself and its relevance to the scientific community.
To simplify the process of publishing in Scopus or Web of Science, contact "Scientific Publications". Due to our many years of experience, we can guarantee one hundred per cent publication of your article in a journal that will meet your requirements. Would you like to receive a free consultation? Fill out the form below and our manager will contact you as soon as possible. Together to new scientific achievements!
