scopus-mcp

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scopus_search_authors

Read-onlyIdempotent

Search Scopus author profiles by name, ORCID, or affiliation to retrieve author IDs and fetch full citation metrics. Use field-code queries for precise author matching.

Instructions

Search for author profiles in the Scopus author index.

Query field codes:

AUTHLASTNAME(Smith) — last name
AUTHFIRST(John) — first name or initials
ORCID(0000-0002-1234-5678) — ORCID identifier
AF-ID(60027950) — affiliation ID

Example: AUTHLASTNAME(Smith) AND AUTHFIRST(J) AND AFFIL(MIT)

Use scopus_get_author with the returned author_id to fetch full metrics.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "query": "<query>"
    },
    "name": "scopus_search_authors"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`count`	No	Number of results (1–25)
`query`	Yes	Author search query
`start`	No	Pagination offset

Output Schema

Name	Required	Default
`query`	No
`source`	No	scopus
`authors`	Yes
`showing`	Yes
`served_at`	No
`truncated`	No
`next_start`	No
`start_index`	No
`stop_reason`	No	complete
`retrieved_at`	No
`total_results`	Yes
`items_per_page`	No
`complete_corpus`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed2 schema fields changedNov 6, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / start

Added value: +{
+  "default": 0,
+  "description": "Pagination offset",
+  "maximum": 4999,
+  "minimum": 0,
+  "title": "Start",
+  "type": "integer"
+}

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "$defs": {
+    "Author": {
+      "additionalProperties": true,
+      "properties": {
+        "author_id": {
+          "title": "Author Id",
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "document_count": {
+          "anyOf": [
+            {
+              "type": "integer"
+            },
+            {
+              "type": "null"
+            }
+          ],
+          "default": null,
+          "title": "Document Count"
+        },
+        "name": {
+          "title": "Name",
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "orcid": {
+          "anyOf": [
+            {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            {
+              "type": "null"
+            }
+          ],
+          "default": null,
+          "title": "Orcid"
+        },
+        "retrieved_at": {
+          "anyOf": [
+            {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            {
+              "type": "null"
+            }
+          ],
+          "default": null,
+          "title": "Retrieved At"
+        },
+        "served_at": {
+          "anyOf": [
+            {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            {
+              "type": "null"
+            }
+          ],
+          "default": null,
+          "title": "Served At"
+        },
+        "source": {
+          "default": "scopus",
+          "title": "Source",
+          "type": "string"
+        }
+      },
+      "required": [
+        "author_id",
+        "name"
+      ],
+      "title": "Author",
+      "type": "object"
+    }
+  },
+  "additionalProperties": true,
+  "properties": {
+    "authors": {
+      "items": {
+        "$ref": "#/$defs/Author"
+      },
+      "title": "Authors",
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "complete_corpus": {
+      "default": false,
+      "title": "Complete Corpus",
+      "type": "boolean"
+    },
+    "items_per_page": {
+      "default": 0,
+      "title": "Items Per Page",
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "next_start": {
+      "anyOf": [
+        {
+          "type": "integer"
+        },
+        {
+          "type": "null"
+        }
+      ],
+      "default": null,
+      "title": "Next Start"
+    },
+    "query": {
+      "default": "",
+      "title": "Query",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "retrieved_at": {
+      "anyOf": [
+        {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        {
+          "type": "null"
+        }
+      ],
+      "default": null,
+      "title": "Retrieved At"
+    },
+    "served_at": {
+      "anyOf": [
+        {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        {
+          "type": "null"
+        }
+      ],
+      "default": null,
+      "title": "Served At"
+    },
+    "showing": {
+      "title": "Showing",
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "source": {
+      "default": "scopus",
+      "title": "Source",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "start_index": {
+      "default": 0,
+      "title": "Start Index",
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "stop_reason": {
+      "default": "complete",
+      "title": "Stop Reason",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "total_results": {
+      "title": "Total Results",
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "truncated": {
+      "default": false,
+      "title": "Truncated",
+      "type": "boolean"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "total_results",
+    "showing",
+    "authors"
+  ],
+  "title": "AuthorSearchResult",
+  "type": "object"
+}

First observedv0.1.0Jun 23, 2026

TDQS

A4.2/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

The annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, openWorldHint and destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is covered elsewhere. The description adds only that results carry an author_id usable downstream; it says nothing about result caps, ranking, pagination limits, or whether the index is exhaustive. Useful but thin on behavior beyond annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded purpose sentence, then a scannable bulleted field-code list, then a worked example, then a routing hint. Every line contributes query-building or navigation value; nothing is padding.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With an output schema present, return fields need not be explained, and the description covers the hard part (query syntax) plus the follow-up call. It could note whether AUTHLASTNAME(AFFIL(...)) style combinations or affiliation-only searches belong here versus scopus_search_affiliations, which is the one remaining ambiguity.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, but the schema's query field is only 'Author search query', so the field-code list (AUTHLASTNAME, AUTHFIRST, ORCID, AF-ID) and the compound AND example add real meaning the schema does not. count and start are left entirely to the schema, which is adequate given their documented bounds.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ('Search for author profiles') and scopes it to the 'Scopus author index', which implicitly separates it from the document-level scopus_search and from scopus_search_affiliations. An agent can identify the right tool without opening the schema.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Provides concrete query construction guidance and an end-to-end example, plus an explicit next-step route ('Use scopus_get_author with the returned author_id'). It stops short of stating when to prefer a sibling such as scopus_search_affiliations or scopus_search, so it is strong but not exhaustive.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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