I think If using only Embase and Web of Science, may miss relevant articles indexed in Scopus. Each database covers different journals and disciplines. I recommend also the manual search in Google Scholar as it offers a broader choices but check the quality of selected studies. Combining multiple databases, such as Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, enables researchers to capture a wider range of studies and not miss important research. Each database has unique indexing practices and covers different journals, so using a combination maximizes the comprehensiveness of literature searches and helps ensure that significant studies are included. This approach enhances the quality and robustness of research findings.

@Heba Ramadan This is quite generic; let's reserve opinions for the systematic review. I completely agree that we should include all relevant sources. In terms of optimizing time and resources, I believe WoS and Embase will suffice, and we could exclude Scopus to avoid redundancy. Experts often view Embase as an alternative to Scopus, but there’s no definitive conclusion or guideline on this.

Implications of Using Embase and Web of Science Without Scopus

If researchers choose to rely solely on Embase and Web of Science and exclude Scopus from their literature search:

• Potential Gaps in Literature: They may miss relevant articles indexed in Scopus, particularly those from journals that are not included in the other two databases. Scopus has a broader selection of interdisciplinary journals that could contain valuable information.
• Citation Metrics: Researchers using only Embase and Web of Science might not have access to certain citation metrics available in Scopus, which can provide insights into the impact and relevance of specific research.
• Diversity of Sources: Excluding Scopus might limit the diversity of the literature reviewed, potentially skewing the results or conclusions drawn from the research.

two things need to be considered --1. what are you looking for (Subject Domain) and 2. Recall and precision, All database are complementary to each other but subscribing all could be very expensive as well, this is a must read article to get the exact answer : Article Optimal database combinations for literature searches in sys...

Optimal database combinations for literature searches in systematic reviews: a prospective exploratory study Dewan Md. Sumsuzzman Joewilson Pasteenraj