How do I compare sources?
Last updated on August 15, 2024
Select 'Compare sources' to access the Compare sources tool from the Scopus toolbar on the Scopus Sources tab, Scopus Source details page, or from Advanced search page.
The Compare sources tool allows you to search for then select sources for comparison within either a chart or table view. You can compare up to 10 sources with a variety of parameters.
- From the search form, select the search criteria from the drop-down menu:
- Source title
- ISSN
- Publisher
- Enter the Source title, ISSN, or Publisher as prompted.
- Select the subject area to limit the search.
- Click 'Search'. A list of search results displays beneath the search form.
- From the Search results list, select up to 10 source titles to compare. The Compare sources graph updates with selected data.
The Compare sources provides a graphic visualization of selected source search results items. Each time you select or de-select a source from the results list, the graphic display updates.
Action |
Explanation |
Sort Source list |
Each source title in the results list is sorted alphabetically next to the graph. To change the alphabetical sort for the results list, click the Source column header to sort in alphabetical order. You also have the option to sort the list based upon result item CiteScore. To change the CiteScore sort for a results list, click the CiteScore column header to sort in CiteScore order. |
View source information |
Click the view icon next to a source results list item to view publication information. Click the icon to close the information display. |
Add a source to the graph |
You have the option to include up to 10 sources from a source results list. Click a checkbox next to a Source to include the source’s information in the graph. The graph refreshes automatically. |
Remove a source from the graph |
Tick a checkbox next to a selected Source to remove the source’s information in the graph. The graph refreshes automatically. You also have the option to remove all source results list items from a graph by clicking ‘Remove all selections’. |
Scopus uses several metrics to create a comparison graph for review. The Scopus Compare sources tool provides a thumbnail for each metric type, and each is based upon the graph type selected (Chart or Table).
- The Scopus Compare sources tool provides either a Chart or Table for comparing metric information for each selected source from a results list. To switch between the graph types, click 'Chart' or 'Table'.
- The Scopus Compare sources tool provides thumbnail selections for each metric type used for comparing sources selected from the results list. To view the metric-type in the graph, click on a metric thumbnail. The Chart or Table display refreshes to show the selected metric type information for each selected source.
Metric |
Explanation |
CiteScore publication by year |
CiteScore calculates the average number of citations received in a calendar year by all items published in that journal in the preceding 4 years. For more information, see What is CiteScore? |
SJR by year |
Compare the scientific prestige of sources, based on the value of weighted citations per document. A source transfers its own prestige, or status, to another source through the act of citing it. A citation from a source with a relatively high SJR is worth more than a citation from a source with a lower SJR. For more information, see What is SCImago Journal Rank (SJR)? |
SNIP by year |
Compare the citation impact of sources in different subject fields. SNIP is the ratio of a source's average citation count per paper, and the citation potential of its subject field. For more information, see What is Source Normalized Impact per Paper (SNIP)? |
Citations by year |
Compare sources by the number of times a source has been cited in a year. The citations are for the current year, but all the documents published by the source (that are available in Scopus) are considered regardless of their year of publication. For example, if a total of 50 articles have been published in the source over the last 5 years and 10 of those articles have been cited once in the current year, then the total number of citations for the year would be 10. In Line Chart view, the number of citations for a source is on the y-axis and the publication year is on the x-axis. |
Documents by year |
Compare sources by the number of documents published in a year. In Line Chart view, the number of documents published in a source is on the y-axis and the publication year is on the x-axis. |
Percent not cited by year |
Compare sources by the percentage of documents published in a year that have never been cited to date. In Line Chart view, the percentage of documents not cited in a source is on the y-axis of the graph and the publication year is on the x-axis. Note: If information for a year is not available, the Percent Not Cited feature does not plot a point. |
Percentage review articles by year |
Compare sources by the percent of articles that are review articles. The value shown is the percent of documents designated as Review of all documents labeled for a specific journal. This metric is helpful because review articles receive more citations than normal articles, which causes metrics to be artificially inflated for a journal with a high percentage of review articles. |
To export a Compare sources chart or table to either a .zip file or a .csv file:
- From the Sources list, select the sources to be exported.
- Select 'Export'. A drop-down list opens with the following options:
- Export the chart/table to a zip file. The zip file contains a screenshot of the chart/table for the selected sources in various image formats.
- Export the data to a .csv file. A comma separated file opens listing data points of selected sources, which you can open in Microsoft Excel.
Note: For CSV files with accented characters, these characters do not display correctly in Excel unless you save the file and then use Excel's data import functionality to view the file. For more information, see Viewing accented characters in Excel.
You can print your Chart or Table from the Compare sources page.
Select 'Print' on the Compare sources page to print the current view. The Print feature prints the entire page as you see it on your screen.
Enter an email address to send a link which opens the Compare sources tool.
- On the Compare sources page, click 'E-mail'. An email text entry field opens.
- Enter an email address.
- Separate multiple addresses with a comma (,).
- Select 'Send'.
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