SCOUT gives you direct access to millions of data points across scientific publications, patents, news, organizations, and more. But to extract the best insights, it’s important to structure your queries properly. 

This guide explains how to structure Expert queries and when to use different types of search strategies depending on your research goals.

Before you proceed, we recommend you read the following articles: 

• Expert search: Boolean operators.
• How to use the query builder.

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Topic queries

Topic queries allow you to explore technologies, materials, components, processes, applications. Depending on your intended outcome, you can start broad and gradually narrow your focus using Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT).

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Broad queries

Broad Queries are ideal for exploring a field at a high level to understand its full scope and identify potential directions for deeper investigation.
These queries are particularly useful during early-stage research, trend scanning, or when you're unfamiliar with a topic and want to get a sense of what’s happening in the domain.

For example, you might search for broad technology themes using a query like 

topic:(«thermal management» OR «cooling systems» OR «heat dissipation»)

You can also refine general queries by combining them with more specific subtopics using AND operators—for example,

topic:(«thermal management» OR «cooling systems» OR «heat dissipation») AND topic:(«electronics» OR «power devices» OR «semiconductors»).

This helps reduce irrelevant matches and focuses your results on key intersections within the broader field. 

⚠️ topic: («connectivity») This is very broad and may return mixed or noisy results 

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Specific queries

Deep-dive queries are used when you already have a clear idea of what you're looking for, whether that’s a defined technology, a specific material, an industry focus, or a technical detail you want to explore further.

topic:(«microchannel cooling» OR «microchannel heat sink» OR «microfluidic cooling») AND topic:(«gan hemt» OR «gan fet» OR «gan power transistor» OR «gallium nitride power device» OR «gan-on-silicon»)

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Alternatives or comparison use cases

When comparing alternatives (e.g., different technologies or applications), we recommend building separate queries for each option instead of lumping all alternatives into one query. 

Example use case: Evaluating bio-based materials used in packaging.

• Create a base query:
  topic: («bio-based packaging» OR «bioplastics» OR «bio-polymers»)
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• Then build AND-connected queries for each alternative material: 
  
  • topic:(«bio-based packaging» OR «bioplastics» OR «bio-polymers») AND topic: («PLA»)
  • topic: («bio-based packaging» OR «bioplastics» OR «bio-polymers») AND topic: («PHA» OR «polyhydroxyalkanoates»)

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Tips for great topic queries

• Limit your query to a maximum of 3 sections; usually 2 are sufficient. For broad exploratory searches, even 1 layer can be enough.
  Use the following structure: (technical term A OR synonym A1 OR synonym A2) AND (modifier term B OR synonym B1 OR synonym B2)
  Example: topic:(«agricultural robot» OR «agrobot» OR «field robot» OR «farming robot») AND topic:(«crop monitoring» OR «precision agriculture» OR «automated harvesting»)

• Focus on technical terms, materials, technologies, components, methods, scientific systems.
  Avoid vague or generic terms such as "overview," "research," "market," "analysis," "solutions," "options," "trends".
  
  
• Always include synonyms ("autonomous driving" OR "self-driving" OR "driverless vehicle" OR "automated driving" OR "autonomous vehicle" OR "self-driving car"), abbreviations ("polyvinylidene fluoride" OR "PVDF"), and spelling variants ("aerogel" OR "aero gel").
  
  
• Avoid mixing too many concepts in one search. Split into smaller queries and use AND/OR logically.
  
  
• Test and iterate: Try a search, review the results, and refine. Add missing synonyms, remove noise, or simplify overly complex queries.

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Organization queries

Organization queries are used to analyze innovation activity of specific companies, research institutes, or startups. 

Start by entering the most commonly used full name of the organization. For many cases, this is sufficient to retrieve high-quality results.
organization: («General Electric») 

For large corporations or those with many subsidiaries and aliases, expand your query to include: alternative names, abbreviations, subsidiaries organization.
This ensures you capture content published under various organizational entities:

(«General Electric» OR «GE» OR «GE Aviation» OR «GE Healthcare» OR «GE Digital» OR «GE Power») 

⚠️ Caution with abbreviations: Using short terms like “GE” may lead to false matches. Always pair them with more specific names if possible.

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Combined queries 

Combining topic and organization queries helps you analyze how a specific organization is engaged in a particular technology field.

topic: («additive manufacturing» OR «3D printing» OR «metal printing»)  AND organization: («General Electric» OR «GE» OR «GE Additive»)
This query retrieves results showing GE’s involvement in additive manufacturing technologies.

topic: («autonomous driving» OR «self-driving» OR «autonomous vehicle» OR «ADAS» OR «driverless car») AND organization: («Tesla»)
This lets you focus on Tesla’s developments and activities in the area of autonomous mobility.

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