Data sources
Choose an index that fits your research. Coverage, metadata, access, and filters vary across providers.
Source directory
| Source | Community | Online BYOK | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | Key recommended | Key required | Broad discovery and citation expansion |
| arXiv | No key | No key | Scientific preprints |
| Crossref | No key | No key | DOI and publication metadata |
| Semantic Scholar | Optional key | Key required | Papers and scholarly graph metadata |
| PubMed | Optional NCBI key | Key required | Biomedical and life-science research |
| Google Scholar via Serper | Serper key required | Key required | Scholar results through the supported API |
| PaperHub top CS conferences | No key | No key | PaperHub's conference collection |
| Web of Science Starter | Clarivate key required | Key required | Supported WoS collection when enabled |
PaperSeek Service manages source access for you. Community permits anonymous access or optional keys as shown above. Online BYOK has a separate access policy: add and save source keys in Settings for every source that takes a key, including OpenAlex, PubMed, and Semantic Scholar. arXiv, Crossref, and PaperHub need no key. A model key is not a data-source key.
Configure and test a source
Open Settings → Data sources and choose Configure or Configure key on the source row. Enter the key and options, then click Save.
Test connection inside this dialog also saves the current key and options before testing. If saving fails, the test does not start. Once saving succeeds, a failed test or subsequently cancelling the dialog does not undo it; reopen the source configuration to change or clear the saved key. The table's Test and Test all use the configured credentials without saving a form draft. Model connection draft tests do not save; see models and ranking.
Obtain credentials
- OpenAlex API settings.
- Semantic Scholar key request.
- NCBI API guidance.
- Serper account.
- WoS Starter application.
Provider subscriptions and rate limits are separate from PaperSeek accounts and credits.
Fields and categories
OpenAlex uses supported discipline options; its semantic lane applies supported filtering behavior. arXiv uses categories. WoS categories and the WoS database selector are separate. Other sources use textual field guidance.
Restricting a field can exclude interdisciplinary work. Start without it unless your research design requires the constraint.
Missing metadata
Records can lack abstracts, years, citation counts, or open PDF links. Missing metadata is not a quality judgment.
Version 1.0.0-beta1 has no separate cross-source abstract-filling or citation-count enrichment switch. Choose informative abstracts for review writing.
Multiple keys
OpenAlex and Serper support key pools separated by whitespace, commas, or semicolons. Requests rotate the starting key; authentication failures are handled separately from transient errors.
Rotation does not change provider terms or guarantee remaining credit. See configuration.