How to search: Search Google Scholar

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You can get the most out of Google Scholar by using the more nuanced search features available in the Advanced Search option. You may prefer to start with a wider search on the initial Google Scholar search screen, but then click on More and then select Advanced search if you wish to refine your approach. The various options can be used alone or in combination.

The Advanced Search allows you to find scholarly articles by author, journal title, date range, among other options that let you focus or widen your search results.

Sophisticated search strategies can be constructed that allow you to retrieve a greater percentage of relevant information.

Read Google Scholar Advanced Search Tips to help you build more complex search strategies.

In accordance with the Unisa Policy for Copyright Infringement and Plagiarism, you are personally accountable for respecting copyright and licensing requirements. Violations of any of these restrictions could result not only in the loss of your own access to the information resources, but in the loss of access for the entire Unisa community. Disciplinary action may also be taken in terms of any applicable policy or disciplinary code, for example, the Unisa Student Disciplinary Code.

Be conscientious about copyright. 

What is Google Scholar?

According to Google: '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.'

Shortcomings of Google Scholar:

• searches are limited to the articles available in Google Scholar's database and this does not offer comprehensive coverage
• searches retrieve both peer reviewed and non-peer reviewed information, and it is not yet possible to limit search results to peer-reviewed articles*
• searches retrieve both view-for-free and view-for-a-fee articles which can present a barrier to access
• the content for certain disciplines can sometimes be a little dated, so be aware of this when searching Google Scholar (it is likely that the currency of the coverage will improve over time and it will vary from discipline to discipline)

When should I consult Google Scholar?

• if you are a novice researcher, the freedom to search using your own words makes the search process easier
• if you are looking for cross-disciplinary information Google Scholar can be helpful as it searches across all disciplines - it can also inspire ideas for cross-disciplinary research
• if you need background reading or wish to refine or narrow down your topic before diving into the Unisa Library’s databases, Google Scholar is a good place to start
• you can use Google Scholar to help you brainstorm keywords and phrases to use for searches on the Library’s electronic resources
• you can find out what other books and articles have cited an article that you have written or found (the more a work is cited, the more likely it is to be useful and/ or much debated)
• when you wish to find only scholarly information (that is, avoid popular or less quality-controlled literature)

Original source: Cronin, B (2012) 'Using Google Scholar Effectively'

Google Scholar Library is your personal collection of articles. You can save articles right off the search page, sign in to My Library, organize them by topic, and use the power of a Google Scholar search to quickly find just the one you want - at any time and from anywhere. You decide what goes into your personal library and Google keeps the links up to date.

To access Unisa Library's subscribed resources, update your Google Scholar settings: 

1. Go to Google Scholar and select Settings. 

2. Click Library links on the left. 

3. In the search box, type: Unisa, Unisa Library, or University of South Africa. 

4. Check the box for Unisa Library. 

5. Click Save and restart your browser. 

To access Unisa Library resources, sign in with your student number and myUnisa password or staff credentials. 

Both the Google Search Engine and Google Scholar retrieve articles that are 'free or fee'. Articles that are not open access are published in commercial databases that require a subscription or a once-off payment before you may view the full text article.

If you encounter a view for a fee/subscription article, the best approach is to look up the journal title on the Unisa Library's E-Publication finder (see the Find e-journals link on the Library home page) to see if we have the journal in one of our electronic subject databases. You can search by journal title (but not by article title), by subject or by the journal's International Standard Serial Number.

Instructions and tips on using the e-Journal Finder can be found here.