How Do I Use Google Scholar Effectively?
Q: How can I find the most relevant and recent academic papers on Google Scholar?
A: Google Scholar allows you to search for scholarly articles and access citations across various disciplines. Here are a few helpful tips to improve your search:
🔍 Finding Recent Papers
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Click “Since [Year]” on the left sidebar to filter by publication year.
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Use “Sort by date” to display newly added results in chronological order.
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Click the envelope icon to receive email alerts for new search results.
đź“„ Accessing Full-Text Articles
While abstracts are freely available, full articles may require a subscription. To find full text:
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Click library links (e.g., “FindIt@IIUM”) next to the result.
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Look for a [PDF] link on the right-hand side.
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Click “All versions” to explore alternative sources.
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Use “Related articles” or “Cited by” to discover similar content.
Note: If you are affiliated with a university and don’t see library links, contact your library to set up off-campus access or configure a proxy connection.
đź§ Getting Better Search Results
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New to the topic? Learn key terms from secondary sources like Wikipedia and use them in your search.
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If your results are too detailed, check the “References” in each article to find broader sources.
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If results are too basic, click “Cited by” to explore newer, more advanced work.
đź§ Tip: Keep Exploring
There’s rarely one definitive answer. Use “Related articles,” “Cited by,” or search an author’s name to dive deeper into the topic.
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