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Effective Online Searching

Google Scholar

 

a graduation cap and diploma.What Is Google Scholar?

Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions; from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and other web sites. Google Scholar helps you find relevant work across the world of scholarly research.

Pros and Cons of Using Google Scholar

Google Scholar is a widely used tool in academic research, offering several advantages, but it also comes with some drawbacks. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of using Google Scholar:

Pros

Broad Access to Scholarly Content

  • Google Scholar indexes a vast range of scholarly materials, including journal articles, theses, books, conference papers, and patents, making it a comprehensive resource for finding academic content across various disciplines.

User-Friendly Interface

  • The search interface is simple and intuitive, similar to regular Google searches, which makes it easy for users to start searching without needing specialized knowledge of search techniques.

Free to Use

  • Google Scholar is freely accessible to anyone with an internet connection, making it a valuable resource for researchers who may not have access to subscription-based databases.

Open Access Content

  • Google Scholar often links to freely available versions of articles, such as those in institutional repositories or on preprint servers, which can provide access to content that might otherwise be behind paywalls.

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Limited Access to Full Texts

  • Many articles indexed by Google Scholar are behind paywalls, and without institutional access, users may only be able to view abstracts or summaries, limiting their ability to fully engage with the content.

Varied Quality of Sources

  • Google Scholar includes a wide range of materials, some of which may not be peer-reviewed or of high academic quality. Users need to critically evaluate the credibility and reliability of the sources they find.

Lack of Advanced Search Features

  • Google Scholar offers fewer advanced search options compared to specialized academic databases. This can make it difficult to refine searches or apply specific filters, leading to less precise search results.

Overwhelming Number of Results

  • The broad scope of Google Scholar can result in a large number of search results, which can be overwhelming and time-consuming to sift through, especially when trying to find the most relevant studies.

Citation Inaccuracies

  • Citations on Google Scholar can be inaccurate. Researchers should cross-check citation data with other tools for accuracy.

Take Away

Google Scholar is a powerful and accessible tool for academic research, offering broad access to a wide range of scholarly materials and useful features like citation tracking. However, its limitations—such as restricted access to full texts, varying quality of sources, and limited search filters—mean that it is best used in conjunction with other resources, such as library databases, for a more comprehensive and reliable research experience. Students and researchers should be mindful of these pros and cons when using Google Scholar and consider supplementing their searches with other academic tools and resources.

Searching in Google Scholar

1. To begin searching in Google Scholar, enter your search terms in the search bar in the middle of the page, and then click the search icon. 

screenshot of google scholar search page

2. Use the menu on the right side of the page to narrow your results by date, relevance, and more.

3. Read the article’s titles and brief descriptions to find titles that sound relevant.

4. When you click into the full-text option, you'll be taken to a record page where you can:

  • Evaluate the article for credibility and reliability by looking at the source information;

  • Read the article in your browser by scrolling down the page;

  • Or download the article’s PDF to read it later.

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