Google Scholar

Google Scholar is a free academic search engine from Google. It searches scholarly articles, theses, conference papers, and more — drawing from publishers, university repositories, and academic websites.

It’s especially useful for identifying Open Access papers, citation networks, and grey literature.

Unlike a regular Google search, it focuses on academic literature — but not everything it finds is peer-reviewed, and it doesn’t show whether Abertay has access unless you configure it.

Note: Google Scholar may include some books, but it’s not designed for book searching — use LibrarySearch to find Abertay’s print books, eBooks, and Open Access titles.

Try Google Scholar if:

• You're looking for a specific article that isn't available via LibrarySearch
• You're working on a literature review or dissertation and want to explore more broadly
• You're researching a niche or emerging topic
• You've hit a wall with LibrarySearch and want more results

Tip: You can link Google Scholar with Abertay’s subscriptions to see “View It @ Abertay” links for full-text access — even off campus.
This improves your chances of accessing the full text but doesn’t guarantee it.
See how to set this up 

You can improve your results with these simple search techniques:

• Use quotation marks for exact phrases: "climate change"
• Use OR to include synonyms: teenager OR adolescent
• Use – (minus) to exclude terms: pollution -London

Note: Google Scholar relies on keyword logic and therefore supports Boolean techniques. If you’d prefer a tool that matches results by meaning rather than exact words, try Semantic Scholar.

For more advanced techniques, see Boolean Operators and Advanced Search Techniques.

One of Google Scholar’s most useful features is the “Cited by” link below each result. This shows which newer sources have cited the article — helping you:

• Discover more recent or related research
• Trace how ideas have been developed or challenged
• Build a stronger literature base

You can also do backward chaining by checking the reference list of a good source to find earlier influential studies.

Want step-by-step help?
See our guide to Citation Chaining Techniques

Google Scholar results often look academic — but not everything it returns is peer-reviewed, reliable, or appropriate for university work.

You don’t need to be an expert to evaluate sources — but you do need to stay critical. These guides can help you check the quality, relevance, and credibility of what you find:

Ask yourself:

• Is it an academic or non-academic source?
  Academic vs Non-Academic Sources
• Is it peer-reviewed — and does that guarantee quality?
  Peer review
• How can I tell if this journal article is credible?
  Critically evaluating journal articles
• How do I apply general evaluation principles to any source?
  How to Evaluate Information Effectively

Use these guides when: 

• You’re not sure if a source is suitable for your assignment
• You want to make stronger arguments supported by reliable evidence
• You’re working on independent research or a dissertation

To see “View It @ Abertay” links in Google Scholar results, follow these steps:

1. Go to scholar.google.com
2. Click the ☰ menu (top left) > Settings
3. Select Library Links
4. Search for Abertay
5. Tick the box for View It @ Abertay
6. Click Save

This works off campus too — as long as you’re signed into your Google account.

Always check LibrarySearch if the full text isn’t available.

You can export references from Google Scholar to RefWorks, Abertay’s supported referencing tool.

1. Go to Settings
2. Scroll to Bibliography Manager
3. Choose RefWorks from the dropdown
4. Click Save

You’ll now see “Import into RefWorks” under each result.

Try these steps:

• Paste the article title into LibrarySearch to check if Abertay has access
• Look for Open Access links on the right-hand side of the result
• Use LibKey Nomad to simplify access to full-text articles
• Still stuck? Email us at library@abertay.ac.uk

Want more help?
See: Accessing full-text journal articles: a guide
It explains why some content is behind paywalls and what you can do when that happens — including interlibrary loan, OA repositories, and more.