7. Frequently asked questions

What is a formatted database?

This is a database that can generally be downloaded in text format (TXT), with all document fields having an invariable heading (TI, AU, DT...), with an inter-field delimiter and in some cases an intra-field delimiter.

Where can I find the databases?

There are two types of database: free and paid. Free databases are accessible via the Internet on specialized sites (e.g. PubMed for Medline) or the EPO (European Patent Office for the World Patent Database) or OpenAlex . In the case of patents, bibliometric processing can either be carried out directly with the Patent Pulse tool