When you first access Scopus, by default it is set to carry out a 'Document' search, which will retrieve records containing your search terms in the field(s) that you specify. You should use this option if you wish to retrieve records for publications on a particular topic, or that meet other search criteria.
You can also choose to search for 'Authors' or 'Affiliations'. These options are useful if you would like to see a breakdown of publications by a particular author or organisation, and other data relating to their publications.