This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Semantic Scholar
Font Size:
Introduction
Semantic Scholar is a powerful, free AI-driven research tool. It is designed to transform how users interact with scientific literature. The platform hosts an impressive collection of papers spanning all scientific fields, establishing itself as one of the most comprehensive academic search engines. Semantic Scholar fundamentally operates as a sophisticated search engine optimized for scientific literature Users can access Semantic Scholar through its web-based interface at semanticscholar.org, where they can explore millions of academic papers using advanced search capabilities. The platform's reach extends across numerous scientific disciplines, making it particularly valuable for interdisciplinary research. Users can search for specific topics, authors, or publications, with the system's intelligence helping to surface the most relevant and impactful papers.
Key Features
- AI-Generated Summaries: The platform uses AI to produce concise, single-sentence summaries of academic papers, known as 'TLDRs'. These summaries appear on search result and author pages, allowing users to quickly assess a paper's relevance.
- Personalised Research Feeds: Users can receive personalised paper recommendations based on the contents of their saved library folders. The system's AI analyses the papers within a folder to suggest new and relevant publications, with the feed being updated daily.
- Citation Graph and Context: The tool provides a citation graph that allows users to explore the connections between papers. It classifies citations by intent, such as citing methods or results, and identifies 'Highly Influential' citations to help users gauge a paper's impact.
- Semantic Reader: This feature is an augmented reading interface for viewing papers directly on the platform. It provides inline definitions for technical terms and contextual information for citations, such as their TLDR summaries, without the user needing to navigate away from the document.
Uniqueness
Semantic Scholar stands out with its AI-driven contextual understanding, which maps connections between papers beyond keyword matching. Semantic Scholar offers robust resources for developers interested in building applications that leverage its vast database of scientific literature. The platform provides an API that has recently been enhanced with improved features, including paper search capabilities, better documentation, and increased stability. This API empowerment has enabled hundreds of developers to create scholarly applications that interact with Semantic Scholar's database. For those looking to integrate academic search capabilities into their own tools or services, the API offers a structured way to access the platform's extensive collection of papers. The value of Semantic Scholar has inspired the development of third-party tools that extend its functionality. One example is the SeleniumSemanticScraper, a Python-based application that automates the crawling of metadata from papers on Semantic Scholar. The SeleniumSemanticScraper demonstrates how Semantic Scholar's content can be leveraged programmatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Open-Source?
No
Registration Needed?
No
Installation Required?
No
AI-empowered?
NLP
Specifications
S
Country or Region:
United States
Author(s):
The Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence
License:
Free
Operating System(s):
Web
Language(s):
English
Registration Needed:
No
Installation Required:
No
Video Demonstration
User Guide
This guide outlines how to use Semantic Scholar to find papers, view AI-generated summaries, save and export citations, and personalise research feeds.
(Access Date: 30 July 2025)
Access Semantic Scholar Website
| a. | Navigate to the website: https://www.semanticscholar.org; |
| b. | Click Sign In or Create Free Account to log in or register with a Google, Facebook, Twitter, or email account (Note: Creating an account is optional for searching but required to use features like the Library and Research Feeds). |
View AI Paper Summaries
| a. | Enter keywords, a paper title, or an author's name into the main search bar on the homepage; |
| b. | Press Enter or click the Search icon to view the results; |
| c. | Look for the TLDR label on the results page to find AI-generated summaries. |
Save and Export Papers
| a. | Click the Save button located beneath a paper's title and abstract; |
| b. | Tick the folder(s) to save the paper into from the panel that appears on the right (Note: You can also create a new folder directly from this panel by clicking Add New Folder); |
| c. | Click Save & Close to add the paper to your selected folder; |
| d. | Click on your account name in the top right corner and select Library from the dropdown menu; |
| e. | Tick the checkbox next to each paper you wish to export; |
| f. | Click the Export button that appears after selection; |
| g. | Choose your desired citation format or download to BibTeX or EndNote. |
Utilise AI Research Feeds
| a. | Click on your account name in the top right corner and select Research Feeds from the dropdown menu; |
| b. | Select Settings to view your library folders; |
| c. | Use the toggle next to a folder's name to enable or disable its Research Feed (Note: The feed's AI uses the papers within a folder to learn what to recommend, and recommendations are refreshed daily); |
| d. | Add at least five relevant papers to a folder and mark at least three recommendations in your feed as Not Relevant to improve recommendations. |
Educational Scenarios
Educators' Perspectives
Learners' Perspectives
Course Material Development
A professor of bioengineering is developing a new advanced course on tissue engineering. She uses Semantic Scholar to stay updated with the latest research in the field. The professor utilizes the platform's 'Trending Papers' feature to identify cutting-edge topics for her lectures. This ensures that her course content reflects the most recent advancements and innovations, providing students with a contemporary understanding of tissue engineering. Additionally, she uses the 'Research Feeds' function to receive regular updates on specific sub-topics, such as biomaterials and regenerative medicine, ensuring her course material remains current. The AI-generated daily updates help her quickly assess the relevance of new publications for potential inclusion in her syllabus or as recommended reading for students.
Automated Research Updates via API
A research coordinator integrates Semantic Scholar's API into the university's repository. This integration allows for automated updates that alert faculty to new publications in their field. By leveraging the API, the university can create a customized dashboard that aggregates relevant research outputs, making it easier for faculty members to stay informed about the latest developments. Moreover, the automated updates can be tailored to individual faculty members' research interests, ensuring that they receive information that is most pertinent to their work. This personalized approach not only saves time but also encourages faculty to engage with new research.
Guiding Student Research
A history professor is supervising several students working on various aspects of 20th-century European politics. He uses Semantic Scholar's advanced search features to help students refine their research questions and identify key literature in their specific areas of interest. By guiding students in using these tools, he empowers them to conduct thorough and efficient literature reviews, a critical skill for academic success. The professor leverages the platform's author profiles to introduce students to prominent scholars in the field and their body of work. While Semantic Scholar primarily focuses on academic literature, the professor shows students how to use the platform to identify papers that analyze specific primary sources, helping them locate valuable historical documents for their research. This not only helps students understand the key contributors to their area of study but also exposes them to diverse perspectives. By integrating these insights into his lectures, he ensures his students are exposed to the latest research.
Enhancing Literature Reviews with AI
A PhD candidate uses the 'Related Papers' feature to fill gaps in their literature review. This feature leverages AI algorithms to identify papers that are contextually related, even if they don't share obvious keywords. By doing so, the candidate can uncover hidden connections and insights that might otherwise be missed. The candidate starts by inputting key papers that form the backbone of their research. The AI identifies papers from adjacent fields that apply similar methodologies or address related problems, broadening the candidate's perspective. Additionally, the candidate sets up automated alerts using Semantic Scholar's 'Research Feeds' feature, ensuring they receive updates on new publications relevant to their study, keeping their literature review current throughout their research journey.
Efficient Literature Review Libraries
A university student working on a thesis in environmental science can use Semantic Scholar to conduct an efficient literature review. By entering specific keywords related to their research topic, such as 'climate change impact on marine ecosystems,' the student can access a curated list of relevant academic papers and articles. Semantic Scholar's AI-driven search capabilities help the student quickly filter results based on citation count, recency, and relevance. The 'Cite' feature is used to generate citations in preferred format easily.
Literature Review for Thesis
A doctoral student in computer science is working on her thesis about machine learning applications in healthcare. She uses Semantic Scholar to conduct a comprehensive literature review. The platform's AI-powered search helps her discover relevant papers beyond simple keyword matches. The 'Related Papers' feature allows her to expand her research scope by identifying related works that she might have otherwise overlooked. This helps her build a more comprehensive understanding of the current state of research in her field, identifying gaps and opportunities for her own contributions.