Google Scholar is a free, specialized web search engine that searches online repositories specifically for academic literature, making it an invaluable resource for researchers. Launched in 2004, it lists a fairly comprehensive range of academic literature, including scientific journals, articles, abstracts, theses, books, conference papers, and scientific reports.
According to some scientometric analysts, Google Scholar is estimated to cover approximately 389 million documents, including citations and patents, making it the world’s largest academic search engine as of January 2018.¹
The limitations of using Google Scholar for research reading
While Google Scholar offers a broad range of content and has its advantages, some pretty obvious drawbacks cannot be overlooked:
- Lack of stable document identifiers: One limitation of Google Scholar is its lack of stable document identifiers. Unlike traditional databases that provide unique identifiers for each indexed document, Google Scholar search results vary based on factors such as location and browsing history. This variability means that the exact search may throw up different results at different times, making it difficult to retrieve specific documents consistently.
- Document removal policy: Another important aspect of Google Scholar is its current policy regarding document removal. This policy states that if an original source—such as an article or thesis—is taken down from its hosting site, it will also be removed from Google Scholar’s index. Therefore, it is vital for researchers to keep in mind that information found in Google Scholar may not always be available to them.
Google Scholar vs Academic Databases: Key differences
Google Scholar has some features that make it stand apart from typical, traditional academic databases. While its selective indexing allows researchers to quickly find literature that is credible and more relevant than results thrown up by general web searches, it is essential to keep in mind the fact that, unlike standard search engines that crawl the internet, Google Scholar focuses on academic content only and therefore the search results may not be comprehensive. Let’s explore this further –
Broad search capabilities give less targeted results
When you enter keywords into Google Scholar, it employs a more flexible approach and automatically expands the search to include related terms, synonyms, and variations. While this feature is excellent for discovering more content, it may also contain information that is irrelevant to your research or study.
This means that you will need to spend precious time reading and sifting through search results to identify credible and relevant information. On the other hand, many academic databases ask you to use exact keywords, giving you more control over the results you receive. And since these results are typically from credible sources, you can use them confidently.
Google Scholar often produces a comparatively larger number of results than traditional databases. While this may seem very useful at first, researchers may soon find that many of the results are not really relevant to the specific research question. On the contrary, academic databases tend to provide fewer but more targeted results, reducing “noise” and enhancing the quality of findings.
No credibility assurance
Another critical difference between Google Scholar and academic databases is the type of content indexed by Google Scholar. While it includes scholarly articles, not all materials are peer-reviewed. Researchers must exercise caution when evaluating sources found on Google Scholar since they may consist of non-scholarly content as well. Conversely, academic databases focus mainly on peer-reviewed materials, ensuring higher quality and reliability.
Academic databases offer extensive options for refining and filtering search results. Researchers narrow down their search using details such as subject, date of publication, document type, and more. In contrast, Google Scholar has limited filtering capabilities and typically allows users to sift results based only on publication date or by excluding patents and citations, making it challenging to find essential, relevant materials quickly.
R Discovery: The Best Alternative to Google Scholar for Literature Search
While Google Scholar is a popular tool for academic research, there are several alternatives that offer unique features and benefits. One notable alternative is R Discovery. Among R Discovery’s most popular features is the personalized article recommendations. As you use the platform, it learns from your reading habits and preferences and suggests papers that align with your interests.
R Discovery aggregates over 250 million research articles drawn from over 20,000 sources, including peer-reviewed journals, preprints, blogs, university news, and podcasts. This wide-ranging selection covers ten major research areas, from arts and humanities to physics and mathematics and much more. Researchers can undertake detailed searches using various filters such as publication type and date.
While Google Scholar may serve as a valuable tool for those looking to undertake academic research, it has certain clear limitations compared to traditional academic databases. That is why it makes sense to explore AI-powered alternatives like R Discovery, which has unique features and benefits. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of both these tools will help researchers make informed decisions about where to find credible, high-quality academic resources for their research study.
References:
- https://library.iated.org/view/SIOAKIMIDIS2019GOO
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