PHYS 498 - Applied Physics Capstone: Using Google Scholar

Google can be a great beginning research tool. Google Scholar can seem even better because it is "scholarly".  But there are some disadvantages.  When using Google Scholar, remember it is just one of many tools available to you.  It shouldn't be your one and only research stop.

Some things to consider:

• Despite their claims, not all scholarly journals are indexed in Google (they only crawl the surface web).
• Not all results are articles.
• Not all results are actually scholarly. 
• There is little full text access.

• Google Scholar often links to commercial publisher websites which ask you to pay for access. DO NOT PAY FOR ARTICLES! Look for the CNU Journal Finder link. If it turns out that we do not have the article available, you can still get it from our ILL@CNU Interlibrary Loan system in just a few days for free (to CNU Faculty, Staff and Students).

Trible Library offers hundreds of article databases on a wide array of subjects.  The majority of articles in these databases will not be found on Google Scholar.  In our databases,  you will easily find full text or links to it, as well as many advanced searching features.

If you are using Google Scholar on campus, it will recognize that and automatically displays the CNU Journal Finder links in the results page for journal titles it recognizes.

If you are working off campus, set up your Google Scholar preferences page by typing in Christopher Newport University in the Library Links box and click on the “Find Library” button. Select the four options that are given and Save.

Tips for getting more out of a Google search.

Site Search: Search for results only from a particular domain such as .gov, .edu, or from a specific website, e.g., on the Advanced Search form, enter cdc.gov or use site: as in site:nnlm.gov/mar/

Type of File Search: Find particular file types such as PowerPoint (.ppt), Word (.doc), Excel (.xls) or PDF (.pdf) & more. Look for file type drop box on the Advanced Search form or use filetype:pdf

Refine your search: Use the tool bar above results to limit the type of information you want.  The MORE and Search Tools have even more possibilites.

Synonyms: Use the tilde (~) in front of a word to pick up words that Google considers synonyms of your word, e.g., ~ food facts includes results for "nutrition facts".

Define: Get definitions for words by putting define: in front of a word, e.g., define:subsume.

Not “that” word: Use the minus sign (-) in front of a word to eliminate that word from the search. e.g., bass -fish to eliminate many fish-related results

Either “this” word OR “this” word: Google assumes AND, but if you want to include synonymous terms use OR, e.g., effective OR efficacious. Also use the Advanced Search form.

Use "Advanced Search" at the bottom of the results page or under the "Gear" symbol in the top right corner.

Use "Journal Finder" - either the link near the article citation, or on the Library's home page.  Just type in the journal name and check for the date you need.

If there are no results -
Use ILL@CNU, the Interlibrary Loan system to request the article you need.

This is a good technique to use before forwarding social media or to evalute web content.

Adapted from SIFT (The Fours Moves) blog post from Mike Caulfield, Director of Blended and Networked Learning at Washington State University Vancouver.