Google Scholar and other
Information Resource
Tools: Constructive
Analysis
Jay Bhatt
W. W. Hagerty Library
Drexel University
What is Google Scholar?
 Search tool that links to scholarly research materials
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http://scholar.google.com
Easy to search
Increases visibility of scholarly literature
Peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints,
abstracts and technical reports, author web pages
that link their own research papers
Indexes a subset of scholarly literature in all fields.
Search results include cited references
What is Google Scholar?
 Literature from journal articles in different subject
areas but mainly science and technology related
 Many of Drexel’s subscription based databases such
as ScienceDirect, and Cambridge Scientific Abstracts
are searchable in GS – on campus link to full text
 Provides citation information about the article
 Variety of academic publishers, professional
societies, preprint repositories and universities
When Google Scholar is best to use?
 Initial searching for scholarly literature
 When a particular article from a specific journal
needed
 Quickly find a relevant article - search results sorted
by relevancy. Relevance ranking takes into account
the full text of each article, the article's author, the
publication in which the article appeared and how
often it has been cited in scholarly literature.
 Anticipated more “use by beginning level researchers
who want a few articles on a topic rather than serious
scholars who need to do thorough research using a
variety of resources”
http://libwww.syr.edu/instruction/questions/GoogleScholar.htm
When Google Scholar is best to use?
 Article title
 Author name (can use quotes)
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author:barsoum mw
Author name and title keywords
Brain storming across many disciplines
Keyword searching
Advanced Search feature.
Restrict your search to a single journal, search for a
particular author or title, limit by years
When Google Scholar is best to use? Examples
 When we know title of the paper needed
Highly-ordered carbon nanotube arrays for
electronics applications. [Applied
Physics Letters 75, 367 (1999)] GS finds it easily
 Quick search on a particular topic
‘Carbon Nanotube arrays’ – Nice looking results
with citations coming from different journals including
books
 Quick overview of works by a particular author
author:bilgutay, N
 Articles in a particular journal on a particular topic
(Using ‘Advanced Keyword’) See: ‘Carbon
Nanotubes’ in ‘Nature Materials’
http://scholar.google.com/scholar/refinesearch.html
Tips on using from Remote
 On campus, takes one to full text directly from the link
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(provided library has subscribed to the journal)
From remote, asks for username and password or
purchase article
Check the library site to see if available (based on
library subscription; access by proxy, DrexelONE)
DO NOT PAY FOR THE ARTICLE – USE
INTERLIBRARY LOAN
Library has paid subscriptions for thousands of
journals; Google Scholar is a convenient way of
finding an article but access to full text based on
library subscription
Coverage in Google Scholar
 What is covered? How do we know what is covered?
 At present, limited subset of scholarly literature.
 It is large, but it’s only a small fraction of what’s
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available.
What journals and databases are covered? How far
back? Can not browse journals
Beta version – growing and has a great potential
See examples in next few slides
Some Humanities and Social Sciences covered but
mainly science and technology
Coverage in Google Scholar-History
 America: History and life
(Database subscribed by Library)
Title:ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE AFRICAN
DIASPORA IN LATIN AMERICA.Citation:Historical
Archaeology 2004 38(1): 32-49
(Not in Google Scholar)
 [CITATION] Teaching the Modern African Diaspora: A
Case Study of the Atlantic Slave Trade
JH Sweet - Cited by 1 - Web Search
Radical History Review, 2000
(Finds only a citation in Google Scholar)
Coverage in Google Scholar- Scitech
Journals
 Carbon nanotubes from catalytic pyrolysis of polypropylene
,
Materials Chemistry and Physics, Volume 92, Issue 1, 15 July
2005, Pages 256-259
(article 1)
 Thermal and mechanical properties of single-walled carbon
nanotubes–polypropylene composites prepared by melt
processing, Carbon, Volume 43, Issue 7, June 2005, Pages 14991505 (article 2)
 Both articles could not be located in Google Scholar – (article 1) why?
Both articles were found in ScienceDirect (article 1)
 Nanocomposites: issues at the interface
• Materials Today,
Volume 7, Issue 11, November 2004, Pages 38-42
 Found in both Google Scholar and ScienceDirect
Coverage in Google Scholar-Cited
References
 “Cited By" link.
 Warning: links from the Google Scholar database.
May not include all the citations of the paper cited.
Use Web of Science or Science Citation Index for
comprehensive searching.
 [CITATION] Synthesis and characterization of a remarkable ceramic: Ti
3 SiC 2 MW Barsoum, T El-Raghy - Cited by 93 - Web Search
J. Am. Ceram. Soc, 1996 (In Google Scholar)
 BARSOUM MW J AM CERAM SOC 1996 79 1953
Cited 277 times in Science Citation Index (compared to 93 times in
Google Scholar)
 NOTE: Google Scholar is still in Beta version; Content is expected to
increase. Time frame not clear. Keep watching.
Other Information Sources
 Analysis of Google Scholar
http://stlq.info/archives/001683.html
 Undergraduate Engineering students need to develop
subject background
 They use online encyclopedias, handbooks, and
other reference books to find properties
 Online reference material is available in other
resources NOT Google Scholar. For example:
ENGnetBASE, NEUROSCIENCEnetBASE,
ENVIROnetBASE, INFOSECURITYnetBASE,
MATERIALSnetBASE, and Knovel
Other Information Sources - Ei
Compendex/INSPEC
 Example:’Onaral’ and ‘Drexel’ in Google Scholar finds
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61 citations
Ei Compendex (Engineering Index) and INSPEC
combined finds 132 citations
Both Ei and INSPEC cover several conference
proceedings that are not yet indexed in GS
Engineering Village2 - access to electronic books
through ENGnetBASE and Referex ; not in GS
Citation to the books may be found but not Full text
chapters
Useful for Undergraduate students for developing
subject background
Other Information Resources – MAD
CAD
 MAD CAD used by our Senior Design students.
Subscription based MAD-CAD contains the building
codes.
 MAD-CAD provides access to a comprehensive
cross-referenced collection of building, electrical,
mechanical, plumbing, fire, maintenance codes from
BOCA, SBCCI, ICBO, ICC, and NFPA.
 This comprehensive set of codes is important for
architectural, engineering and educational solutions.
 Computer Science/IST - Books24x7, Safari, Lecture
Notes in Computer Science - are important not yet
available in Google Scholar..
Other Information Resources –Online
Handbooks and Encyclopedias
 Online Encyclopedias
Ullmann's encyclopedia of industrial chemistry
[electronic resource]
Encyclopedia of biomaterials and biomedical
engineering [electronic resource]
Encyclopedia of medical genomics and proteomics
[electronic resource]
Encyclopedia of optical engineering [electronic
resource]
(Full text not in GS; Students can find very useful
information here to help them understand concepts
better)
Other Information Resources –Online
Handbooks and Encyclopedias
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Knovel -Database of some of the leading
engineering reference handbooks, databases, and
conference proceedings.
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Provides tabular and graphical data, including facts,
figures, formulas and definitions
[BOOK] Electrical construction databook
RB Hickey, B Hickey - Library Search - Web Search
McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing, 2001
DOI: 10.1036/0256246394
RT by Category - Web Search
... 1999 $123.75 US Product Line: McGraw-Hill by...
dx.doi.org
(Sorry - The product you requested is no longer
available, restricted, or is out of print) –in GS
Book full text in Knovel
Other Information Resources-Business
and Entrepreneurship
 CORPTECH – High Tech companies in specific
technology areas such as ‘Biotechnology’ and
‘Photonics’
 Extended profiles, including financial information
and business practices.
 Finds company information in specific industries
dealing with biosensors and bioelectronics
 Very useful resource for students looking for
coops, jobs, researching on innovative
technologies, business start-ups and market
research
Other Information Resources-Business
and Entrepreneurship
 Business and Industry Information
 Statistical information through Tablebase
Statistical/tabular data on companies, industries,
products, countries and markets.
 Limiting by Industry such as ‘broadcasting’, concept
term such as ‘company forecasts’, plus more
 Business and Industry Information, Tablebase and
Business source Premier, Countrywatch and
Faulkner's Advisory for IT Studies (FAITS) are
unique resources not in GS at present– Many more
offered through Library’s subscription
Other Information Resources – Online
Bibliographies
 Refworks – importing references into Refworks need
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subscription based database
At present, no importing through GS
Students need to create bibliography
Refworks helps
Shared citations through Refworks among
group members
Refworks help organize citations through different
folders; citations are saved for later use
Library offers workshop on Refworks
Conclusions
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Google Scholar is a Beta version
Improvement and better features are expected
Quick and easy to search
Useful research tool
Depending on your information need, select your
resource
 Valuable supplement but certainly not a substitute
 More important than ever that researchers know how
to search effectively and think critically
http://www.library.gardnerwebb.edu/googlescholar.htm
Additional Links
 About Google Scholar and FAQ
 Carol Tenopir, "Google in the Academic Library,"
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Library Journal, February 2005, Vol.130 Issue 2,p.32
Brian Kenney, "Googlizers vs. Resistors," Library
Journal, December 2004, Vol. 129, Issue 20, p.44-46.
Shirl Kennedy and Gary Price, "Web Search--Google
Big News: 'Google Scholar' is Born,"
Resourceshelf.com, Thursday, November 18, 2004.
Barbara Quint, "Google Scholar Focuses on
Research-Quality Content," Information Today, Inc.,
November 22, 2004.
Danny Sullivan, "Google Scholar Offers Access to
Academic Information," SearchEngineWatch,
November 18, 2004.
Additional Links
 Peter Jasco, " Peter's Digital Reference Shelf,"
December 2004
 Andrew Goodman, "Google Scholar vs. Real
Scholarship“
 Jay Bhatt, “Google Scholar – Commentary by Jay
Bhatt”
 Adina Mulliken and Abby Kasowitz-Scheer, “Google
Scholar”
 Questions and other ideas
 Email: bhattjj@drexel.edu Phone: 215 895-1873
Hagerty Library, Office 121 inside suite 127
 Tim Siftar – Education/IST Lib – siftar@drexel.edu