Scopus status
What Does “Discontinued in Scopus” Mean?
“Discontinued in Scopus” does not mean that every article previously indexed disappears. It means Scopus no longer provides ongoing forward coverage for that source under the relevant status. Authors should check the exact source record and coverage years before relying on an indexing claim.
Maintained by the Beallslists.com editorial review team · Evidence reviewed: · Current verification cycle: 2026
Quick answer
Discontinued in Scopus generally means Scopus has stopped adding new content from that title after a stated coverage period. Older indexed articles may remain searchable, so the presence of past papers does not prove that new issues are currently covered.
Check the journal’s exact source record and coverage dates. For the full workflow, see how to check Scopus indexing or use the Journal Checker before submission.
Scopus uses more than one non-current status
Elsevier’s Scopus support documentation describes several possibilities when forward coverage is no longer current:
- Inactive: Scopus has not received records for the serial title from the publisher during the recent period described by Scopus.
- Discontinued: the source no longer meets expected standards and coverage has been discontinued following evaluation.
- Stopped: coverage of an older title can stop when a journal changes title and ISSN and the new source is linked to it.
Historical coverage can remain visible
A source may still show earlier Scopus coverage years even after forward coverage has ended. This is why a publisher statement such as “indexed in Scopus” can be incomplete if it does not explain whether the journal is currently covered.
How to check a discontinued journal
- Search the exact journal title or ISSN in Scopus source information.
- Confirm that the source record belongs to the same journal and publisher.
- Read the coverage status.
- Check the coverage years.
- If your institution requires current Scopus coverage, ask whether historical coverage meets that rule.
- Save the source record or date of verification when the indexing status matters for promotion or graduation.
Does discontinued mean predatory?
No. A discontinued Scopus status is an indexing decision, not a universal label of predatory publishing. It is a reason to understand why coverage stopped and to conduct normal journal due diligence. Likewise, current Scopus coverage should not replace checks of peer review, editorial governance, fees and publisher identity.
Related pages
See How to check Scopus indexing, Can a Scopus-indexed journal be predatory? and the journal evaluation checklist.
Official sources and further reading
- Scopus Support Center — Source details — official Scopus explanations of coverage status, including inactive, discontinued and stopped
Database coverage and journal policies can change. Verify important claims at the official source on the date you make your publication decision.