Library Guides: Ivy College of Business: Library Resources: Using Google Scholar

Setting up Google Scholar access:

To get the most out of your Google Scholar experience, set ISU as your library to see articles available through the ISU Library:

Google Scholar This link opens in a new window
Off-campus users must use Scholar settings to ensure smooth linkages to ISU Library articles in Google Scholar search results.

Note that terminology for ISU Library syncing with Google Scholar search results has changed from "GetIt@ISU" to "ViewIt@ISU".

Pros and Cons of Google Scholar

Google Scholar is a popular way to search for scholarly journal articles. While you can find some journal articles there, not everything is in Google Scholar. What you will find is lots of volume - a search that returns 492,239 results won't necessarily find the article you want.

Why can't I just use Google Scholar?

This is a question that I get asked frequently as a librarian
Google Scholar is a good tool, but search options are limited
There are good reasons to learn to use the Library's article databases

Google Scholar was built to search web pages

Google is great for searching websites and webpages
It's not so good with other types of information.
Most scholarly articles and reports are not published as webpages
Other tools are more effective when looking for articles

Google Scholar only covers the open web

Most scholarly information isn't open
Relying solely on Google Scholar for academic research you'll miss relevant and important research - but WHY?
Most digital scholarly information is behind paywalls
Large volume of information that isn't online - both new and old - that Google Scholar can't index
The Library's article databases is that they cover both open and paywalled information as well as digital and paper resources

Google Scholar has basic filtering and search features

Google Scholar searches

You often get thousands or millions of results when using Google Scholar
Filtering options are limited to date of publication or "relevance" (as determined by an algorithm)

Library article database searches:

Much broader array of search and filtering options
Example: in ABI/Inform you have these options:
- Searching by: Company, NAICS code, product name, or publication
- Search limits:full text, peer reviewed content, or date
- Results filtering: Publication date and/or title, document type, subject, location, etc.
Search or browse all the ISU Library's Article Databases