5.2 Collect Data from Scopus

The preferred format for Scopus data files is the RIS format. In Scopus, save your search results to one or more data files in RIS, e.g. my_scopus_search_results.ris, to a folder on your computer. Specify the data folder and a folder where you want to have the converted files. And start the conversion process.

CiteSpace will tell you how many records in each RIS files have been converted and, more specifically, how many cited references in total are found in the data files and how many of them have been converted successfully. The 95.0% is a very decent successful rate, considering all the irregularities of the cited references.

If, for some reason, you have the Scopus data files in CSV instead of in RIS, you need to do a quick conversion from CSV to a tab delimited format using Excel before you can run the Tab Delimited Converter in CiteSpace.

Note that there are at least 3 nodes labeled as CHEN C (2006) and one with CHEN CM (2006). All these nodes are in fact about the same 2006 JASIST paper on CiteSpace, but with discrepancies in terms of initials and journal titles (full title or abbreviated one). This means that if you use Scopus, make sure to pay attention to these discrepancies before finalizing the results of your analysis.