Google Scholar: what is it and what are the main features?

In this article, the specialists of the company "Scientific Publications" tried to answer all the most popular questions about how to use Google Scholar. We have reviewed the main functions of the platform, search capabilities and scientometric characteristics so that our readers can learn more about Google Acsdemy as a global aggregator of scientific information.

Google Scholar: how to use the service?

The question "what is Google Scholar?" and “how to use Google Scholar?” arises for everyone who has just learned about the possibilities of this global scientometric platform.

So, before you start working with it:

1. Make sure you have an active Gmail account.
2. Go to Google Scholar pl: https://scholar.google.pl
3. Sign up in Google Scholar following a 3-step process. It includes entering contact information, adding research papers, and technical settings.
4. Complete your Google Scholar author profile settings for more options.
5. Search Google Scholar scientific articles. You can create your own libraries, collections, and reading lists.

In addition, the system can be used not only to find the necessary materials. Of course, how to use Google Scholar is up to each individual. However, we recommend that you study in detail all the tabs of this service: "My profile" – in the context of Google Scholar citation tracking and other indicators; "My library" – to generate a list of Google Scholar scientific articles and use them in your own work; "Alerts" – synchronization of notifications via e-mail; "Metrics" – tracking trends in the world of scientometrics.

Why Use Google Scholar?

The Google Scholar launch date is November 2004. It was during this period that the largest scientometric platforms emerged, which researchers still use today. The founder of Google Scholar is considered to be Google specialists: Alex Verstak and Anurag Acharya. To date, scientists use Google Academy to:

1. Tracking your own scientometric characteristics.
2. Exploring the profiles of colleagues, their indicators, including the Google Scholar citation index, h-index, i10-index.
3. Tracking scientometric trends.
4. Search for Google Scholar articles and other scientific materials. Creation of libraries, collections, reading lists.
5. Automatic bibliography generation.
6. Simplify the process of working with scientific information both with the help of Google Academy and with the help of plugins and add-ons.

How to search in Google Scholar?

One of the most important features of Google Scholar is the search for scientific information. Indeed, within the framework of this service, a global amount of research materials is indexed, almost everything that can be found on the Internet.

Therefore, before starting the search, you should remember that the Google Academy system uses the same algorithms as the web browser of the same name. After the user logs in, he is immediately taken to the search page. Let's see how to use Google Scholar Search. Everything is very simple! Enter your desired search query and see the results in the form:

1. Ability to sort received Google Scholar scientific articles.
2. Information about the total number of search results.
3. Actually search results in Google Academy.
4. Possibilities of paraphrasing the query and similar search queries in Google Scholar.
5. Download without going to the home page of the material.

In addition, it is worth considering the possibilities provided by the platform for each search result in Google Scholar.

1. Meta-title of a scientific article in Google Scholar. When you click on it, the user automatically goes to the source page.
2. Information about authors. If the names of all or one of the authors are displayed as a hyperlink, the user will be able to go to the Google Scholar research profile.
3. Saving a Google Scholar article. By clicking on "Save", the work will be saved in "My library".
4. Ability to create an automatic bibliographic list based on the most common citation styles.
5. Acquaintance with the list of works where the material is cited.
6. Work related Google Scholar content.
7. View all versions of material in Google Academy.

In addition to the basic search, the system contains the functionality of Google Scholar Advanced Search.

You can use it by clicking the appropriate option in the left side menu. The following options are available to the user:

1. Search Google Scholar for keywords.
2. Limit your search to a single phrase.
3. Form a query in such a way that the Google Scholar system displays materials for at least one keyword from the list.
4. Search Google Scholar scientific articles, excluding individual queries.
5. Filter by the presence of keywords in the title or text of the article.
6. Find by author.
7. Search for a journal or publication.
8. Set the range by year of publication.

However, let's analyze the possibilities of detailed search in practice.

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Google Scholar: search by journal

In order to search Google Scholar by the name of a scientific journal, you can use two methods:

1. Perform Google Scholar search by journal using advanced search. To do this, in field No. 7 from the previous illustration, enter the name of the publication, for example, "J Biol Chem". This will display the Google Scholar articles from the required edition. 
2. Immediately enter a search query in the required Google Scholar search by journal format, for example "source: J Biol Chem". 

How to submit an article to Google Scholar?

In the profile of the author of Google Scholar, it is possible to add the most complete list of the scientific heritage of the author. Adding articles to Google Scholar occurs at the time of registration and filling out the profile. However, if a scientist needs to add a scientific work, he can do it at any time.

To add an article to Google Scholar, you need to go to the "My profile" tab. After that, click on the "+" mark. This will display a list of publications owned by the Google Scholar author.

If you cannot submit an article to Google Scholar in this way, then:

1. Check the publication of the work.
2. Pay attention to the type of access in which the work is published.
3. Check the spelling of the full name and transliteration options in Google Scholar. Correct the information if necessary.

Also in the scientist there is the possibility of editing information about scientific materials. You can do it manually. Simply click on the job hyperlink in your Google Academy profile. Then select "Edit" and enter the required information.

How to check the number of citations in Google Scholar?

The Google Scholar Citation Index is one of the most important metrics within this platform. It becomes the basis for the calculation of other scientometric indicators. To check Google Scholar citations you need:

1. Sign in to Google Scholar.
2. Go to the My Profile tab.
3. The Google Scholar Citation Index will be displayed in the scientometric indicators panel on the right.

So you can get acquainted with the indicators of Google Scholar citation for the entire period and the last 5 full years. In addition, the calculation of Google Scholar citations is performed by the system for each year and is displayed in a bar chart format.

In addition, notification of a change in the Google Scholar citation index can be configured by e-mail. To do this, you need to click on "Follow" in your own Google Academy author profile and select the required option.

How to check Hirsch index in Google Scholar?

Google Scholar h-index is also one of the most important metrics, the indicator of which is calculated by the ratio of the number of scientific materials and their citations according to Google Scholar data. To check Google Scholar h-index:

1. Log in to the Google Scholar platform.
2. Go to your own author page using "My profile".
3. Information about the Google Scholar h-index indicator will be displayed on the right.

In addition to the Google Scholar citation index and h-index, Google Academy calculates the i10-index metric. It is used as the number of highly cited materials, which is leveled when calculating the h-index.

Why shouldn't you use Google Scholar?

Like every scientometric service, Google Scholar has its own advantages and disadvantages. The benefits of Google Academy include:

• There is no usage fee.
• Covers various types of scientific materials, including national languages.
• Simple interface and clear search mechanisms.
• Supports basic styles and integrates with bibliographic managers.

However, there are some significant disadvantages of Google Scholar:

• Indexes a large number of "non-scientific" materials.
• Due to the oversimplified structure of the work, it is possible to add materials not of one's own authorship.
• No moderation and review for indexing.
• It has a much smaller list of functions than specialized scientometric databases.

It is these shortcomings of Google Scholar that provoke the list of what not to use the scientometric platform for.

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Google Scholar Rankings: List of Polish Journals

The Google Scholar service maintains its rating of the importance of scientific journals. It is different for each language edition. Consider which scientific journals top the Google Scholar Poland ranking:

Continuation of the rating Google Scholar

If you have any questions about using Google Scholar, please contact Scientific Publications. We provide a unique Google Scholar Citation service that will help you avoid technical errors, set up your profile and increase the required scientometric indicators to the desired level. Always open for cooperation!

We will remind you that the material “Why you should use Google Scholar: 11 reasons” was recently released