google scholar can provide another source for locating scholarly articles for your literature review. to ensure a comprehensive literature search, always use google scholar along with other databases specific to your discipline.
keep these pros and cons in mind when using google scholar:
google offers these features:
the ability to search using one simple search box
the ability to cast a wide search across several different subject areas
useful for locating "grey literature" (for example conference proceedings; dissertations; items in university repositories )
an excellent tool for locating unique search topics
an excellent tool for locating an article by title or a part of a citation
a way to find related articles using the "cited by" feature
potential limitations of google scholar:
covers many different subject areas and will not be as comprehensive as a subject specific database
google does not specify criteria for inclusion of "scholarly" materials
it is not easy to sort or filter results as easily as a database. cannot narrow by peer-review, by discipline or by full-text content.
includes articles from questionable/predatory publishers
advanced search is not as sophisticated as in databases.
it is not a fulltext database. use the link through your library website. if fulltext is not available, request the article the your library's interlibrary loan/racer service.
