Nearly all of you have probably used Google to search the web, but did you know that Google offers several different web search engines, including Google Scholar. So what is Google Scholar? First take a look at the about page.
You’ll notice there is not a lot of information provided by Google about this search engine. This is unfortunate, because Google Scholar is quickly becoming a popular tool among faculty and students across the nation. Take a look at the following two posts from librarian Dean Giustini at the University of British Columbia:
Top Five Benefits of Google Scholar
Top Five (5) Problems with Google Scholar – Three Years Later
The point to emphasize here is the importance of maintaining a critical perspective of the information sources you use. What does Google Scholar index? What won’t you find using Google Scholar? How often is it updated? Remember, don’t rely on just one search engine. Try different search engines and you’ll find different materials in each one. No single source will provide access to everything.
P.B.
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