Strengthening Student Research Literacy through Scopus and VOSviewer Training

Abstract

The ability to browse and evaluate scientific literature is needed by students to compile research that has a clear academic basis. This service activity aims to equip students with the skills to determine keywords, search articles through Scopus, and conduct bibliometric mapping using VOSviewer. The activity was carried out in 2026 in Serang involving 30 students of the Department of Development Economics, Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University. The implementation method includes material presentation, demonstrations, guided practices, and discussions. The evaluation was carried out using 10 multiple-choice questions through pre-test and post-test as well as observation during practice. Analysis of 30 response pairs showed an average pre-test of 95.67 and a post-test of 96.67. A total of four students experienced an increase in scores, 19 students obtained fixed scores, and seven students experienced an improvement. The average overall score increased, the correct answers to the co-occurrence comprehension question increased from 24 to 29 students. Based on the observations of the implementers, participants succeeded in compiling keywords, searching for articles, and creating bibliometric maps using VOSviewer. The main difficulty lies in determining the number and accuracy of keywords so that the search results are in accordance with the scope of the research. The activity provides practical experience in searching and mapping literature, with the need to strengthen the search strategy and interpretation of the mapping results. The follow-up is directed to independent exercises based on student research topics.