How to research using Google scholar: Standing
on the shoulders of giants
Text forms: Multimedia
English concept: Research
Required level of ICT competency: Basic
Outcomes addressed:
Stage 4
Outcome 7: A student thinks critically and interpretively about information, ideas and
arguments to respond to and compose texts.
Stage 5
Outcome7: A student thinks critically and interpretively using information, ideas and
increasingly complex arguments to respond to and compose texts in a range of contexts.
Stage 6
Prelim Standard and Advanced Outcome 9: A student assesses the appropriateness of a
range of processes and technologies in the investigation and organisation of information and
ideas.
HSC Standard Outcome 9: A student assesses the appropriateness of a range of processes
and technologies in the investigation and organisation of information and ideas.
HSC Advanced Outcome 9: A student evaluates the effectiveness of a range of processes and
technologies for various learning purposes including the investigation and organisation of
information and ideas.
ESL Preliminary and HSC Outcome 10: A student assesses the appropriateness of a range of
processes and technologies in the investigation and organisation of information and ideas.
Introduction to the lesson:
Students are introduced to using a specific search application, Google Scholar, as a means
of targeted research. Students will learn how to research and access specific information, for
example, information about contexts of texts’ composition and reception and authors’ lives,
whilst developing a deep understanding of others’ perspectives.
What the teacher will need:

internet access

data projector or interactive whiteboard (IWB).
What the students will need:

laptop
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
internet access.
Sequence of activities:
1. Teacher displays Google webpage using interactive whiteboard or data projector.
2. Teacher led discussion about what students know about different Google search
features and applications, for example, Google Earth, Google images, Google Maps,
Google Australia. Teacher asks students how, or even if, they currently research
scholarly literature: peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and articles, from
academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories, universities and
other scholarly organisations.
3. Students are prompted to discuss the importance of narrowing searches. For
example, if you enter ‘Shakespeare’ into Google you get over 45 million hits.
4. Teacher shows students the Google options at the top of the webpage and selects
the more icon. An extended list of options is opened and the teacher selects
Scholar.
Select more
5. If students have internet access they each follow the above steps on their own
laptop.
6. Teacher and students select About Google Scholar and read through the
information.
7. Teacher then demonstrates a Google Scholar search appropriate to students’ current
English learning.
i.
Teacher types ’rabbits shaun tan‘ into Google Scholar search.
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ii.
iii.
iv.
Search results appear. Teacher selects the first couple of entries and
class discusses how some sites require payment for access to the full
article or paper.
Teacher then selects the PDF file entitled Picture books: Who are they
for?
Class is able to access the entire interview/article.
Resources / links you may need:

http://www.google.com.au/

http://scholar.google.com.au/

http://internettutorials.net/boolean.asp (this website provides added information on
narrowing searches within any search engine.)
Extension activities:

Students explain why some websites contain complete articles and information and
others have limited access

Teacher helps students realise that the website information has limitations, but may
be a good starting point for accessing other related information

Students have 15-20 minutes to locate the most useful information related to the
class text/topic to share with the class.
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