Quick Start
This guide covers every scite feature:
- Getting Started — Create account and basic setup
- How to Use AI Research Assistant — Get cited answers to research questions
- How to Use Smart Citations — See how papers support or contrast claims
- How to Use Patents Search — Find patent literature fast
- How to Use Custom Dashboard — Track papers and get citation alerts
- How to Use Journals and Rankings — Discover top journals in your field
- How to Use Browser Extension — See citation data on any website
- How to Use Funding Institution Insights — Explore funder-linked research
- How to Use Reference Check — Verify citations for retractions and issues
Time needed: 5 minutes per feature
Also in this guide: Pro Tips | Common Mistakes | Troubleshooting | Pricing | Alternatives
Why Trust This Guide
I’ve used scite for over six months and tested every feature covered here. This how to use scite tutorial comes from real hands-on experience — not marketing fluff or vendor screenshots.
scite is one of the most powerful AI research tools available today.
But most users only scratch the surface of what it can do.
This guide shows you how to use every major feature.
Step by step, with screenshots and pro tips.
Scite Tutorial
This complete scite tutorial walks you through every feature step by step, from initial setup to advanced tips that will make you a power user.
scite
Discover how 1.6 billion+ citation statements support or contrast scientific claims. scite helps researchers evaluate literature credibility in seconds. Try it free for 7 days — no credit card required.
Getting Started with Scite
Before using any feature, complete this one-time setup.
It takes about 3 minutes.
Watch this quick overview first:
Now let’s walk through each step.
Step 1: Create Your Account
Go to scite.ai and click “Sign Up” in the top right.
Enter your email and create a password.
You can also sign up with your Google or institutional account.
✓ Checkpoint: Check your inbox for a confirmation email.
Step 2: Access Your Dashboard
scite is entirely web-based — no downloads needed.
Log in at scite.ai with your new account.
Here’s what the dashboard looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: You should see the main search bar and navigation menu.
Step 3: Complete Initial Setup
Set your research interests in your profile settings.
Install the browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.
Connect your Zotero or Mendeley account if you use one.
✅ Done: You’re ready to use any feature below.
How to Use Scite AI Research Assistant
AI Research Assistant lets you ask research questions and get cited answers from scientific papers.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch AI Research Assistant in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Open the Assistant
Click “Assistant” in the top navigation bar.
You’ll see a chat-style interface ready for your question.
Step 2: Ask Your Research Question
Type a specific research question in the chat box.
For example: “What evidence supports mindfulness for anxiety?”
The assistant pulls answers directly from published papers.
✓ Checkpoint: You should see a response with inline citations.
Step 3: Review and Export Citations
Click any citation to view the source paper details.
Copy the response text with references for your manuscript.
✅ Result: You have a research summary backed by real citations.
💡 Pro Tip: Ask the assistant to create comparison tables across multiple studies for faster literature reviews.
How to Use Scite Smart Citations
Smart Citations lets you see how a paper has been cited — whether others support, contrast, or just mention it.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch Smart Citations in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Search for a Paper
Enter a paper title, DOI, or author name in the search bar.
scite indexes over 1.6 billion citation statements.
Step 2: Read the Citation Report
Open the scite report page for your selected paper.
You’ll see counts for Supporting, Contrasting, and Mentioning citations.
Click any category to read the exact citation statements.
✓ Checkpoint: You should see color-coded citation tallies.
Step 3: Evaluate Paper Credibility
Compare the ratio of supporting vs. contrasting citations.
A paper with many contrasting citations may need careful review.
✅ Result: You know exactly how the research community views this paper.
💡 Pro Tip: Use citation chaining to trace how ideas evolved — click “Cited By” to follow the research trail forward.
How to Use Scite Patents Search
Patents Search lets you find patent literature alongside academic papers.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch Patents Search in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Navigate to Patents Search
Click “Search” in the main menu and select the patents filter.
This opens the patent-specific search interface.
Step 2: Enter Your Search Query
Type your technology topic or patent keywords.
Use Boolean operators like AND, OR, and NOT to refine results.
✓ Checkpoint: You should see a list of relevant patents with citation data.
Step 3: Analyze Patent Citations
Click any patent to see how academic papers cite it.
Review whether citations support or question the patent’s claims.
✅ Result: You found relevant patents with full citation context.
💡 Pro Tip: Combine patent searches with academic paper searches to get a complete view of your technology landscape.
How to Use Scite Custom Dashboard
Custom Dashboard lets you save publications, track citations, and set up alerts.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch Custom Dashboard in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Create a New Dashboard
Click “Dashboards” in the navigation and hit “Create New.”
Name your dashboard based on your research topic or project.
Step 2: Add Papers to Track
Search for papers and click “Add to Dashboard” on each one.
You can also paste DOIs directly to add specific papers.
✓ Checkpoint: Your dashboard should show all added papers with citation tallies.
Step 3: Enable Citation Alerts
Toggle on email alerts for new citations on tracked papers.
scite notifies you when someone cites your saved publications.
✅ Result: You have a personalized research hub with automatic updates.
💡 Pro Tip: Create separate dashboards for different projects to keep your citation tracking organized.
How to Use Scite Journals and Rankings
Journals and Rankings lets you discover top-ranked journals and evaluate their citation patterns.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch Journals and Rankings in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Open Journals Section
Click “Journals” from the main navigation menu.
You’ll see a searchable list of academic journals.
Step 2: Filter by Field or Metric
Use filters to narrow journals by subject area or citation quality.
Sort by supporting citation ratio to find well-regarded journals.
✓ Checkpoint: You should see journals ranked by citation metrics.
Step 3: Explore Journal Details
Click any journal to see its citation breakdown and top papers.
Use this data to choose where to submit your next manuscript.
✅ Result: You found the best journals for your research field.
💡 Pro Tip: Check a journal’s contrasting citation ratio — a high ratio could mean the journal publishes controversial but impactful work.
How to Use Scite Browser Extension
Browser Extension lets you see Smart Citation badges on any website where papers appear.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch Browser Extension in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Install the Extension
Go to the Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons, or Safari Extensions.
Search for “scite” and click “Add to Browser.”
Step 2: Browse Research Platforms
Visit Google Scholar, PubMed, or any journal website.
scite badges appear next to papers showing citation counts.
✓ Checkpoint: You should see colored badges next to paper listings.
Step 3: Click Badges for Details
Click any badge to see the full supporting and contrasting breakdown.
This works directly on the page without leaving your current site.
✅ Result: You can evaluate papers instantly while browsing any research site.
💡 Pro Tip: The extension also works on preprint servers like bioRxiv and arXiv for early evaluation of new research.
How to Use Scite Funding Institution Insights
Funding Institution Insights lets you explore which funders support research in your field.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch Funding Institution Insights in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Open Funding Insights
Navigate to the Funding section from the main menu.
You’ll see a list of funding institutions with research data.
Step 2: Search by Funder or Topic
Enter a funding body name like “NIH” or “NSF” to see their portfolio.
Or search by topic to find which funders support that area.
✓ Checkpoint: You should see papers linked to specific funding sources.
Step 3: Analyze Funded Research Quality
Review citation patterns for research funded by each institution.
Use this data to identify strong funders for your grant applications.
✅ Result: You understand which funders back well-cited research in your field.
💡 Pro Tip: Cross-reference funder insights with your dashboard to identify grant opportunities aligned with your tracked research.
How to Use Scite Reference Check
Reference Check lets you verify your manuscript’s references for retractions and editorial concerns.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Upload Your Manuscript
Go to the Reference Check tool and upload your paper or paste your reference list.
scite automatically detects and parses each citation.
Step 2: Review Flagged References
scite highlights any references that have been retracted or corrected.
It also flags papers with editorial notices or expressions of concern.
✓ Checkpoint: You should see a color-coded report of all your references.
Step 3: Replace Problem Citations
Remove or replace any flagged references before submission.
Use scite’s search to find reliable alternative papers.
✅ Result: Your manuscript citations are clean and free of retracted papers.
💡 Pro Tip: Run Reference Check before every journal submission — editors increasingly reject papers citing retracted work.
scite Pro Tips and Shortcuts
After testing scite for over six months, here are my best tips.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open search | Ctrl + K (Cmd + K on Mac) |
| Navigate to next result | Tab |
| Open paper in new tab | Ctrl + Click (Cmd + Click) |
| Copy citation | Ctrl + C from report page |
Hidden Features Most People Miss
- Citation Statement Search: Search for specific phrases within citation contexts to find papers that discuss exact arguments or methods.
- Author Profile Pages: Click any author name to see all their publications with citation breakdowns and track their impact over time.
- Zotero Plugin Integration: Install the Zotero plugin to add Smart Citation data directly to your reference manager without switching tools.
Scite Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake #1: Relying Only on Citation Counts
❌ Wrong: Assuming a paper with 500 citations is automatically credible.
✅ Right: Check the supporting vs. contrasting ratio on scite’s report page.
Mistake #2: Ignoring Contrasting Citations
❌ Wrong: Skipping the contrasting tab because you only want supportive evidence.
✅ Right: Read contrasting citations to understand debates and strengthen your arguments.
Mistake #3: Not Using Reference Check Before Submission
❌ Wrong: Submitting a manuscript without checking if any cited papers were retracted.
✅ Right: Run Reference Check on every manuscript to catch retracted or flagged papers early.
Scite Troubleshooting
Problem: Search Returns No Results
Cause: Your query may be too specific or use terms not in scite’s index.
Fix: Try broader keywords or use the DOI directly to find a specific paper.
Problem: Browser Extension Not Showing Badges
Cause: The extension may need to be updated or re-enabled after a browser update.
Fix: Remove and reinstall the extension, then refresh the page.
Problem: Assistant Gives Incomplete Answers
Cause: Your question may be too broad for the AI to pinpoint relevant papers.
Fix: Ask narrower questions and specify the research domain or time period.
📌 Note: If none of these fix your issue, contact scite support at customersupport@researchsolutions.com.
What is Scite?
scite is an AI-powered citation analysis platform that helps researchers evaluate scientific literature.
Think of it like a fact-checker for academic papers — but powered by 1.6 billion real citations.
Watch this quick overview:
It includes these key features:
- AI Research Assistant: Ask research questions and get answers with inline citations from real papers.
- Smart Citations: See whether citing papers support, contrast, or just mention a given work.
- Patents Search: Find and analyze patent literature alongside academic research.
- Custom Dashboard: Track papers, monitor new citations, and set up email alerts.
- Journals and Rankings: Discover top journals by citation quality in any field.
- Browser Extension: View citation badges on Google Scholar, PubMed, and more.
- Funding Institution Insights: Explore which funders back research in your area.
- Reference Check: Verify your manuscript references for retractions and concerns.
For a full review, see our scite review.
Scite Pricing
Here’s what scite costs in 2026:
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly plan | $20 | Researchers who need short-term access |
| Yearly Plan | $12/month | Regular users who want the best value |
Free trial: Yes, 7-day free trial available.
Money-back guarantee: Contact support for cancellation within the trial period.
💰 Best Value: Yearly Plan — saves you 40% compared to paying monthly.
Scite vs Alternatives
How does scite compare? Here’s the competitive landscape:
Watch this comparison:
| Tool | Best For | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| scite | Citation analysis and research evaluation | $12/mo | ⭐ 4.2 |
| Jenni | AI-assisted academic writing | $12/mo | ⭐ 4.0 |
| Paperpal | Grammar and manuscript editing | $19/mo | ⭐ 4.1 |
| Yomu | Academic essay and paper drafting | $19/mo | ⭐ 4.0 |
| Writesonic | General AI content creation | $39/mo | ⭐ 3.5 |
| Frase | SEO content and research briefs | $45/mo | ⭐ 4.3 |
| CoWriter | AI co-writing for researchers | $20/mo | ⭐ 3.8 |
| SciSpace | Paper reading and literature review | $12/mo | ⭐ 4.2 |
| QuillBot | Paraphrasing and summarizing | $4.17/mo | ⭐ 4.2 |
| Grammarly | Writing clarity and grammar correction | $12/mo | ⭐ 4.5 |
| PaperGuide | All-in-one research workspace | $12/mo | ⭐ 4.0 |
Quick picks:
- Best overall: scite — unmatched citation context analysis with 1.6B+ statements.
- Best budget: QuillBot — solid paraphrasing and summarizing at $4.17/month.
- Best for beginners: Grammarly — easy-to-use writing assistant for all skill levels.
- Best for literature review: SciSpace — strong paper reading and thematic analysis tools.
🎯 Scite Alternatives
Looking for scite alternatives? Here are the top options:
- 🚀 Jenni: AI writing assistant that helps draft academic papers with autocomplete and citation support starting at $12/month.
- 💰 Paperpal: Manuscript editing tool built for researchers with grammar correction and language polishing from $19/month.
- 🎨 Yomu: Academic writing assistant with document formatting, plagiarism checks, and multi-model AI support from $19/month.
- ⚡ Writesonic: General-purpose AI content generator with templates for articles, ads, and marketing copy from $39/month.
- 🔒 Frase: SEO-focused research and content tool that helps create search-engine-friendly articles starting at $45/month.
- 🧠 CoWriter: AI co-writing tool for researchers that helps generate ideas and outlines for academic projects from $20/month.
- 👶 SciSpace: Paper reading platform with AI summaries, thematic analysis, and citation tools starting free.
- 🏢 QuillBot: Budget-friendly paraphrasing and summarizing tool with grammar checking from $4.17/month.
- 🔧 Grammarly: Popular writing assistant with advanced grammar, tone, and plagiarism detection from $12/month annually.
- 🌟 PaperGuide: All-in-one AI research workspace with reference management, writing, and deep research from $12/month.
For the full list, see our scite alternatives guide.
⚔️ Scite Compared
Here’s how scite stacks up against each competitor:
- scite vs Jenni: scite excels at citation analysis and research evaluation; Jenni is stronger for drafting and writing academic papers.
- scite vs Paperpal: scite focuses on how papers are cited; Paperpal specializes in manuscript language editing and grammar correction.
- scite vs Yomu: scite evaluates research reliability through citations; Yomu helps with academic writing, formatting, and document structure.
- scite vs Writesonic: scite is built for academic research; Writesonic targets marketing content and general-purpose writing tasks.
- scite vs Frase: scite analyzes citation context; Frase focuses on SEO content research and search engine rankings.
- scite vs CoWriter: scite shows how papers are discussed in literature; CoWriter helps generate content ideas and outlines.
- scite vs SciSpace: Both serve researchers, but scite leads in citation analysis while SciSpace excels at paper reading and summarization.
- scite vs QuillBot: scite provides deep citation insights; QuillBot is a budget tool for paraphrasing and basic text improvement.
- scite vs Grammarly: scite analyzes research credibility; Grammarly is a general writing assistant for grammar and clarity improvement.
- scite vs PaperGuide: scite specializes in citation context; PaperGuide offers a broader research workspace with writing and reference management.
Start Using Scite Now
You learned how to use every major scite feature:
- ✅ AI Research Assistant
- ✅ Smart Citations
- ✅ Patents Search
- ✅ Custom Dashboard
- ✅ Journals and Rankings
- ✅ Browser Extension
- ✅ Funding Institution Insights
- ✅ Reference Check
Next step: Pick one feature and try it now.
Most people start with AI Research Assistant.
It takes less than 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to use scite.ai for citation?
Search for any paper on scite using its title or DOI. The report page shows every citation classified as supporting, contrasting, or mentioning. Click any citation statement to read the exact context from the citing paper. You can also use the Citation Statement Search to find specific arguments across all indexed papers.
How does scite work?
scite processes full-text articles from publisher agreements and uses deep learning to classify citation statements. Each citation is tagged as supporting, contrasting, or mentioning based on its context. This creates Smart Citations that go far beyond simple citation counts. The platform has indexed over 1.6 billion citation statements from millions of academic papers.
Is scite.ai really free to use?
scite offers a 7-day free trial so you can test all features. After the trial, you need a paid subscription. The monthly plan costs $20 and the yearly plan costs $12/month. Students and academics can get discounts by recommending scite to their institution.
What is the difference between scite and ChatGPT?
scite pulls answers from real published research papers with verifiable citations. ChatGPT generates responses from training data and can produce inaccurate or fabricated references. scite is purpose-built for academic research with citation verification, while ChatGPT is a general-purpose AI chatbot. For research work, scite provides far more reliable and traceable information.
Can scite.ai detect retracted papers?
Yes. scite’s Reference Check feature flags retracted papers, editorial notices, and expressions of concern in your reference list. Upload your manuscript and scite scans every citation against its database. This helps you remove problematic references before submitting to a journal.
How much does scite.ai cost?
scite costs $20 per month on the monthly plan or $12 per month on the yearly plan. A 7-day free trial is available. Enterprise and institutional pricing is available by contacting the sales team directly. Student discounts are also offered through institutional referral programs.
Is scite worth it?
scite is worth it if you regularly evaluate research papers or write academic manuscripts. The Smart Citations feature saves hours of manual citation checking. The Reference Check tool alone can prevent embarrassing retracted paper citations. For students on tight budgets, the yearly plan at $12/month makes it more affordable.
What is a scite assistant?
The scite Assistant is an AI chatbot designed for research. You ask questions and it responds with answers backed by real citations from scientific papers. It can summarize research findings, generate comparison tables across studies, and help you build search strategies. The assistant pulls from scite’s database of over 1.6 billion indexed citation statements.
What is better than scite AI?
It depends on your needs. SciSpace is better for reading and summarizing papers. Grammarly is better for grammar and writing improvement. QuillBot is better for paraphrasing on a budget. For citation context analysis specifically, no tool matches scite’s depth with 1.6B+ classified citation statements. See our full alternatives comparison above.
Is scite AI easy to learn and use?
scite has a moderate learning curve. Basic features like search and Smart Citations are easy to pick up in minutes. Advanced features like Citation Statement Search and custom dashboards take more time to master. The browser extension makes casual use very simple — just browse Google Scholar and see badges. Most users feel comfortable within their first week of regular use.
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