Proceedings Citation Guide

Is a Proceedings Series Indexed in Scopus or Web of Science?

Many workshops say they are indexed, but the claim is often loose or out of date. Check the index itself. This page shows how, and what the answer does and does not mean.

Last updated 6 November 2026

On this page
  1. What indexed means
  2. Checking Scopus
  3. Checking Web of Science
  4. Series, volume and paper are different levels
  5. Why website claims can be wrong
  6. Indexing is not quality
  7. Frequently asked questions
  8. Sources and further reading
  9. Related topics

In brief

  • Indexing means a database includes the source and its records; it does not certify the quality of each paper.
  • Check the index's own source list, not the workshop's website.
  • Elsevier says it follows independent advice from a selection board; books are selected at publisher level.
  • Coverage can differ between a series and a single volume, and can change over time.

What indexed means

A database such as Scopus or Web of Science indexes a source when it adds that source's records to its searchable collection and tracks citations. Indexing helps readers find a paper. It is not a stamp of approval on every paper in the source.

The terms are often misused. "Indexed" can mean any of the following, and they are not equivalent:

  • The source is selected and fully covered in a curated database.
  • Some individual papers were captured from a source.
  • The papers appear in a search engine or an open index.

Only the first meaning is what funders and committees usually intend. See DBLP and search tools for examples of the other kinds.

Ask three questions whenever you meet an indexing claim. Which database is meant? At which level (publisher, series, volume or paper)? For which years? A claim that cannot answer all three is not yet evidence. Good evidence is a dated record from the database itself.

Also remember that databases serve different purposes. Scopus and Web of Science are curated citation databases with selection rules. Open indexes crawl and aggregate widely. Both are useful, but they answer different questions, and neither replaces reading the paper.

Checking Scopus

Elsevier publishes the rules and lists openly. Its Content Policy and Selection page says Elsevier follows the independent advice of the Content Selection and Advisory Board when it accepts or rejects a title. Journals and serial conference publications can be suggested as titles. Books are selected at publisher level: the board decides which publishers, not individual books.

Elsevier also states that conference material enters Scopus either as a special issue of a regular journal or as a dedicated conference proceeding, and that Scopus covers conferences that publish full-text papers. It describes separate routes for one-off conferences and serial conference publications.

How to check

  1. Open the free Scopus Source Title page and search the exact series title.
  2. Alternatively, download the Source title list that Elsevier publishes and search it for the title or ISSN.
  3. Open the source profile and read its coverage dates.
  4. Check that your volume's year falls within the coverage.

Elsevier notes that its source list includes discontinued sources, so a title found there may no longer be covered. Check whether the title is marked as discontinued.

Checking Web of Science

Clarivate offers the Master Journal List at mjl.clarivate.com, a free search of titles covered by Web of Science. Search by title or ISSN and read the listed indexes.

Web of Science also has a Conference Proceedings Citation Index. Clarivate says proceedings follow their own evaluation process, separate from journals, and are assessed volume by volume. Because the Master Journal List is built around journal titles, a proceedings volume may need a check inside Web of Science itself, or with your library. Ask a librarian if a title is not found.

Be exact with names. A renamed series can appear as two linked records, and the older name may carry the coverage you need.

Series, volume and paper are different levels

Index coverage is usually granted to a source, such as a series, but the records you care about are individual volumes and papers.

  • Series covered, volume missing. A series may be indexed from a certain year only, or some volumes may be skipped.
  • Volume covered, series not listed. A one-off proceedings book may be selected without a series.
  • Paper missing. Even in covered sources, a particular paper can be absent, for instance because of document-type rules.

For a claim that matters, search for your own paper title in the database and note what you find. Take a dated screenshot or export for your records.

Also note document types. Databases label records, for example as conference paper, article or editorial. A front-matter item or a short abstract may be labelled differently from a full paper, and some requirements count only certain types. Check the label on your own record in the database.

Why website claims can be wrong

  • Out of date. A series may have been covered once and later removed, or not yet added.
  • Different database. "Indexed" may refer to a search engine or an open index.
  • Different level. The publisher may be covered while a specific series is not, or the reverse.
  • Planned, not actual. "Submitted for indexing" is not the same as indexed.
  • Look-alike names. Titles similar to a covered source can be confused with it.

Treat such claims as a lead to check at the source. See evaluating a proceedings series for other signs.

Indexing is not quality

Inclusion in a database shows that the source passed that database's selection or technical checks at some point. It does not show that every paper was rigorously reviewed, and absence does not prove poor quality. Many strong workshops are outside commercial indexes. Judge a series by its review process, organisers and published papers as well. This site does not state which series are or are not covered anywhere; check the current lists yourself.

If a committee, funder or supervisor requires indexing, ask them which database and which date they mean. Requirements are often written loosely, and the answer decides what evidence you need. Then collect it: the source profile, the coverage dates and a search result for your own paper, each with the date you checked.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I check whether a source is in Scopus?

Use the free Scopus Source Title page, or download the Source title list that Elsevier publishes. Search by exact title or ISSN and read the coverage dates.

How do I check Web of Science?

Search the Clarivate Master Journal List by title or ISSN. Proceedings are evaluated separately, so you may also need to search Web of Science itself or ask your library.

Is a workshop with no Scopus listing low quality?

Not necessarily. Indexing and quality are different. Many valuable workshops are not in commercial indexes. Look at the review process and organisers.

Can an indexed series lose its coverage?

Yes. Elsevier says its source list includes discontinued sources, and coverage can change. Re-check before you rely on a claim.

Does the workshop website prove indexing?

No. Website claims can be old or imprecise. Confirm in the database's own source list.

Sources and further reading

  1. Elsevier — Scopus content
  2. Elsevier — Scopus Content Policy and Selection
  3. Elsevier — Scopus Content Selection and Advisory Board
  4. Clarivate — Master Journal List
  5. dblp team, Schloss Dagstuhl — dblp: scope of dblp (FAQ)
  6. Clarivate — Conference Proceedings Citation Index: evaluation process and selection criteria