SCOPUS

Have you tried the Scopus database yet?

This database, created by Elsevier, is quite unique in that is based on a user centered design process involving more 300 researchers and librarians. A team of five full-time designers and a cognitive psychologist used observation and feedback from user tests to develop the interface. Each feature is based on exactly what users asked for.

But, what is it?

It's a full-text indexing and abstracting database. Scopus contains the contents of EMBASE, MEDLINE and Compendex - as a matter of fact the database indexes and abstracts over 14, 000 scholarly journals in the scientific, medical, technical and social science literature including over 400 open access journals. It also integrates Scirus, a web search engine focused on scientific web pages including patent information.

Scopus makes it easier for a researcher to:

• Find new articles in a familiar subject field
• Find articles by a specific author
• Access information that can help evaluate an author
• Stay up-to-date
• Gain an overview or understanding of a new subject field

Scopus is updated daily.

Over the next couple of posts, I'm going to highlight some of the features of Scopus.

Just the facts:
Scopus is available from the Medical Library's Major Resource list.
To read more about the application of user-centered design (UCD) to Scopus development, see Scopus White Pater Series, Number One