Course description

Citation databases are the engines behind most research metrics and literature searches. This course compares the three big ones — Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar — so you know what each covers, where each is strong or weak, and how to choose. It also introduces the core ideas of bibliometrics.

Who it is for

Researchers, postgraduates, and librarians who run searches or compile metrics. No prior knowledge needed.

Learning outcomes

By the end you will be able to:

• Explain what a citation database is and why coverage matters;
• Describe the scope, strengths and limits of Web of Science;
• Do the same for Scopus and Google Scholar;
• Choose the right database for a given task;
• Define key bibliometric concepts and name a tool that applies them.

Course outline

1. What Are Citation Databases?
2. Web of Science
3. Scopus
4. Google Scholar
5. Bibliometric Concepts & Tools

How to study

Work through the topics in order. Each has a short lesson, a worked example, a free resource, and a hands-on “Try it” step. The course is free and open — no fees, no barriers.

Licensing & attribution

Provided free by FRELIP under CC BY 4.0; adapted in part from openly-licensed UNESCO and institutional materials.

Maintained by the FRELIP Open Courseware editorial team.