EI Compendex and Scopus are two common databases. Both are recognized worldwide, but they differ in scope, evaluation methods, and academic influence.
This article explains the difference between EI and Scopus, helping researchers decide which is more suitable for their papers or conference submissions.
What Is EI Compendex?
EI stands for Engineering Index Compendex, managed by Elsevier and accessible via the Engineering Village platform. It focuses mainly on engineering and applied technology disciplines.
Key Features
- Coverage: Mechanical, electrical, civil, industrial, and computer engineering
- Content: Peer-reviewed journals, technical magazines, and conference proceedings
- Focus: Engineering applications and innovation rather than theoretical science
- Platform: Engineering Village (Elsevier)
- Users: Engineers, technical researchers, industry professionals
Why EI Matters
- Strong reputation in engineering-specific evaluation
- Includes many conference papers that never appear in other databases
- Often used by universities for assessing engineering research output
What Is Scopus?
Scopus is also managed by Elsevier but covers a much broader range of disciplines. It is the largest abstract and citation database for peer-reviewed literature.
Key Features
- Coverage: Sciences, engineering, medicine, social sciences, arts, and humanities
- Content: Journals, conference proceedings, and book series
- Focus: Citation tracking, author metrics (h-index), and cross-disciplinary analysis
- Platform: Scopus (scopus.com)
- Users: Researchers from all academic domains, librarians, and policy analysts
Why Scopus Matters
- Provides detailed citation and author metrics
- Often used for institutional rankings and global research assessment
- Many SCI and EI journals are also indexed in Scopus, making it a broader gateway
EI Compendex vs. Scopus: Summary Table
| Feature | EI Compendex | Scopus |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Specialized: Engineering and applied sciences only. | Multidisciplinary: All academic fields (STEM, social sciences, arts, etc.). |
| Primary Goal | Deep, comprehensive literature discovery for engineers. | Broad discovery and research impact evaluation. |
| Key Content | Journals and exhaustive conference proceedings. | Journals, books, conference papers, patents. |
| Owned By | Elsevier | Elsevier |
| Best For | An engineer doing a deep dive on a technical problem. | A researcher doing interdisciplinary work or evaluating journal influence. |
Conclusion: Which One Is Right for You?
The choice is not about which database is "better," but which is the right tool for the job at hand.
You should use EI Compendex when:
- You are an engineering or computer science student/researcher.
- You need to conduct a thorough literature review on a specific engineering topic.
- You are looking for the latest research from top conferences in your field.
You should use Scopus when:
- Your research topic is interdisciplinary (e.g., bio-engineering, environmental policy).
- You need to find the impact factor or ranking of a journal (using CiteScore, SJR).
- You are exploring a topic outside of pure engineering (e.g., in health sciences or social sciences).
- You want to track citations for a specific author or article across all fields.
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