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Google Scholar and Full Text @ Emory

In November 2004, Google launched a new search tool, Google Scholar, which is currently a “beta” service. (The content, coverage and functionality of Google Scholar is changing on a regular basis). Google Scholar indexes items Google considers "scholarly," including articles, theses, books, preprints, abstracts, conference proceedings, and technical reports. It is particularly good for the Sciences, but is also helpful for locating books, articles, and citations related to the Humanities and Theology.

This page addresses some basic questions about using Google Scholar to access full-text articles.

Questions:

1. How can I access the full-text version of articles cited in Google Scholar?

You can sometimes access articles/essays in full-text via Google Scholar.   Many of the best full-text articles and essays are licensed copies purchased by Emory Libraries.  Google Scholar, in turn, provides links to these licensed copies.

If you are on campus at Emory, a “Full Text @ Emory” link will appear after items that are included in one of the Emory Libraries' paid subscriptions.

If you are off campus, click on “Scholar Preferences” from the main Google Scholar page and find Emory in the Institutional Access field. Save your preferences and then go back to searching. If you are searching from off-campus you will need to input your Emory ID number to access the full-text of articles that are available through Emory’s licenses.

2. How do I access the full-text of an article when the "Full Text @ Emory" link does not appear after the article title in Google Scholar?

First, try accessing the article by clicking on one of the other blue-colored links listed beneath the citation in Google Scholar.  The search engine may have found several sources for the same citation and one of these might be an open source. 

Second, affiliates of Emory might have access to the full-text of an article, but Google Scholar often does not “know” it.   The Beta service is working on improving its accuracy for identifying the Emory Libraries’ electronic holdings. So if the item is not available via the “Full text @ Emory” link, be sure to search our library catalog (DiscoverE) or an appropriate online database (Databases @ Emory) to determine if the Emory Libraries provide full-text access to the article you need.

3. How do I limit my search to certain authors, publications, dates, or subjects?

Use Advanced Scholar Search to limit your search by author, publication and date range searching (see the “Search Tips” on the Advanced Scholar Search Page).  The Advanced Search now also allows you to limit your search by subject, e.g., “Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities.”

4. Does Google Scholar work with my citation software?

Google Scholar allows for citation importing into the following programs: EndNote, RefWorks, RefMan, and BibTeX. To choose one of these options, go the "Scholar Preferences" page and scroll down to the Bibliography Manager section. A drop-down menu allows you to select the program to which you'd like to export citations.

5. When should I use Google Scholar?

It is important to remember that Google Scholar is limited in coverage and is not primarily a full-text database.  If used in research, it is of limited value as a starting point, since its ranking system uses unknown criteria and it does not have complete access to the highest quality materials (e.g., records in ATLA Religion Database).  Google Scholar is best used as a supplemental tool, e.g., to brainstorm a research project, to verify a citation, or to locate materials otherwise not indexed in many subscription databases, e.g., papers and reports located on the websites of universities, academic societies, and governmental agencies.

6. How can I learn more about Google Scholar?

A good guide to using Google and Google Scholar is the “Googling to the Max” site at the University of California, Berkeley.  The MIT webpage, “Making Google Scholar Work for You,” was a source for some of the information provided on this page.