How to Use Scinapse

Getting started with Scinapse

Scinapse is a free AI-powered academic search engine that helps you discover research papers quickly and easily. After reading this guide, you'll be able to search for relevant academic literature without encountering paywalls or subscription fees.

Step 1: Sign up and set up

1. Go to Scinapse.
2. Click on the "Sign Up" button located at the top right of the homepage.
3. Enter your email address and create a password, or sign up using your Google account for quicker access.
4. Confirm your email if prompted, and you're ready to start searching.

Step 2: Your first search

1. On the main page, you’ll see a search bar in the centre.
2. Type in a keyword, phrase, or the title of a paper you’re interested in and press the "Search" button (magnifying glass icon).
3. Browse through the results displayed on the left. Click on any paper title to view its details.
4. You can filter results by categories such as "Most Relevant", "Most Cited", or "Recent" using the options on the left sidebar.

Step 3: Get better results

1. Use specific keywords or phrases to narrow down your search. For example, instead of "climate change", try "climate change effects on agriculture".
2. Explore the "Advanced Search" feature by clicking the three horizontal lines (hamburger menu) next to the search bar. Here, you can refine your search by author, journal, or year.
3. Save interesting papers by clicking the "Save" button (bookmark icon) next to each title. Access your saved papers later via the "My Papers" section in the menu.

Pro tip

To save time, use quotation marks around phrases in your search (e.g., "machine learning") to find exact matches rather than searching for each word individually.

Common mistake to avoid

Avoid using overly broad search terms. This can yield too many irrelevant results. Instead, focus on specific aspects of your topic to get more targeted and useful papers.