Pride Library Connection

How to get the most out of Google Scholar

Have you ever tried using Google Scholar in your research? If you haven’t, it can be a useful tool for finding citations in your research area. Google Scholar can help you find information from universities, professional organizations, online repositories, government resources, and other scholarly sources. Results may include peer reviewed journal articles, dissertations, conference papers, and more. It is important to carefully review the source of information to ensure that you are using a trusted source and that the resource fits the requirements of your assignment. While Google Scholar doesn't fully replace using one of the databases, it’s a handy way to expand your search.

Here are a few ways that you can improve your Google Scholar experience:

• Make sure to link your Google Scholar search results to the Regis College Library’s collection! This is the most important thing to do before you start searching. When you use Google Scholar without setting up your library links, many resources will appear to be behind paywalls. By adding the “Find@RegisCollege” link, Google Scholar will automatically let you know if the library has full text access to an article. To learn how to set up up your library links, check out our video tutorial or these written instructions.

• Try using the advanced search page on Google Scholar! You can search for specific words or phrases, articles written by a particular author or in a specific publication, and more. Click on the preferences menu in the top left corner and choose “Advanced search.” A new box will pop up in the window with search options. 

• Create an e-mail alert to keep track of the most up-to-date articles! If you're following a research topic over time and want to make sure that you're keeping current with the most recent scholarship, you can set up an alert to receive notifications about new publications. There’s a video tutorial here that will show you how to set up an alert. 

• Import citations into your RefWorks account! Do you use a citation management program like RefWorks to keep track of your resources? You can update your Google Scholar settings to include links to import citations directly into your RefWorks account. Click on the preferences menu in the top left corner and choose settings. You’ll see an option under “Bibliography manager” to “show links to import citations” where you can select RefWorks.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at the library! You can contact us at the Reference Desk.