Google Goes Academic With 'Scholar'-ly Research Tool
Published 11.22.2004
Most of us are familiar with Google's powerful search capabilities. Just enter a subject in the search box and Google will return hundreds, if not thousands, of Web sites containing that word or phrase. However, weeding through those pages to find relevant, credible sources for academic research can be counterproductive.
Google has answered this challenge by unveiling the beta version of its new search engine, Google Scholar. By restricting its search to the realm of academic publishers and professional societies, Google Scholar reduces your risk of citing misinformed or fraudulent authors.
A Google Scholar search returns relevant book and article abstracts, full-text articles (if available online), technical reports, peer-reviewed papers, theses, and preprints. As when using basic Google, a more specific search will return fewer results. Your search results will be listed in order of relevance rather than publication date.
Use the "About Google Scholar" link on the Google Scholar home page to learn more about this exciting new researching tool, including how to search more productively and tips for citing the resources you find.