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European History: Google Scholar

Using Google Scholar

Google Scholar

What is Google Scholar?

Google Scholar is designed to provide access to the scholarly material available through Google.  It uses the familiar Google interface and commands so as to locate books, articles, conference papers, and other scholarly materials.  

Google Scholar Search Results Example

The image below shows the Google Scholar Results page for the search term, "Alfred Binet."   

Click on an article to obtain the Citation information which you can copy and paste in APA format into NoodleBib.                                     

Attribution

Some content was adapted from West Morris Regional High School District's Google Scholar LibGuide.

Google Scholar Search Tips

Helpful search tips for Google Scholar 

Search Google Scholar

Benefits and Disadvantages of Google Scholar

ADVANTAGES

  • Covers many disciplines and time periods.  For interdisciplinary topics, it will retrieve materials from several disciplines.

  • A familiar Google-like interface

  • Many of the searching tips are similar to Academic Search Premier

  • Google Scholar can be a good place to find supplemental sources.


DISADVANTAGES

  • Google Scholar does not search all disciplines equally. The Sciences are well represented, but the Humanities are not.

  • Google Scholar does not allow you to sort and refine your searches as efficiently as you can directly in the databases.

  • Google Scholar is often inconsistent and unpredictable in how and what it retrieves. It is not comprehensive.

  • Google Scholar will not provide everything free that you need for your research. Do not ever purchase material from Google Scholar. Bring your citation to the Library, and we will help you try to find it through other sources.

  • Google Scholar cannot guarantee highly credible sources. Some of the results may be high school term papers, or books that are too old to be useful. Always approach with a critical eye.