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University of Iowa

University Libraries

Resources for Education Grad Students: Google Scholar

Google Scholar

What is it?

Google Scholar is Google's index of scholarly sources. The nice thing about Google Scholar is that it provides a simple and familiar search platform. While Google Scholar is a great tool, it is most effective when combined with InfoHawk+ and Library Databases. 

Key Takeaways

  • Google Scholar includes all types of materials including books, articles, dissertations, theses, undergraduate research papers, conference proceedings, and more
  • Google Scholar does not use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT). Check out Google Scholar search tips
  • It is a great tool for getting a sense of "what's out there" on a topic
  • Be sure to link up Google Scholar with UI Libraries to maximize your full-text PDF access (directions on the right and in video below)

Google Scholar Explainer

This video demonstrates how to search an article title in Google Scholar, use the "Cited By" feature, and link up Google Scholar with the UI Libraries. 

Information Clicking on the arrow at the bottom of the video will allow you to jump to specific content.

Link Up to UI Libraries

You can use UI Link in Google Scholar! UI Link will help you find full-text PDFs for articles in UI's databases, or connect you with Inter-Library Loan, so you never have to pay for an article. Here's how:

1. Click on "Settings" near the top of the page.

2. Select "Library Links" from the left-side menu of the Settings page:

links

3. Search for the University of Iowa and select it from the list of libraries that comes up. (You can choose up to 5 libraries!)

4. Save your settings!

5. Now, when you search Google Scholar, "ViewIt@UILink" will appear next to articles that University databases have access to. Click the link and follow the prompts to your article!