Getting Better Results with Google Scholar

Use these tips to make Google Scholar work better!

CSES, HORT, AECT, PLPA, HESC Agriculture Librarian

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Necia Parker Gibson
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Mullins Library 422 (Level 4, Librarians' suite)

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Google Scholar's Advanced Search Fields

When you click on the advanced search link in Google Scholar, you get a list of choices, such as are listed in the next box. Please note, this list is under settings, and you must be logged into a Google account to see them and use them.

Here's what they mean:

  • with all of the words= the words are ANDed together, so you retrieve a set that has every word, but not necessarily in order.
  •  with the exact phrase= find the exact phrase, wherever it occurs. You can get the same effect by putting quotation marks "around a phrase."
  •  with at least one of the words= the words are ORed together; you will get back a bigger, less specific set. 
  •  without the words= the word or words are excluded from the search
  •  where my words occur anywhere in the article= means what it says-- find articles with the search words in the text somewhere. Can also be done via intext:search term in a regular search
  •  where my words occur in the title of the article= means the words will be found only in the title of the articles returned. This search will be more specific but may miss some content. Can also be done via intitle:term or title:term in a regular search.
  •  Return articles authored by= materials written or edited by a particular person. The retrievals aren't always as specific as one might like, unless the name is very unusual. Google Scholar is not very good at distinguishing names and initials from other text.
  •  Return articles published in= insert the title of the publication, either the full title or the abbreviated title.
  •  Return articles dated between= articles published between date X and date Y.

 

Google Scholar's Advanced Search Box

Google Scholar's advance search box illustration continued

The screen continues with more options (some overlap between these captures):

second half of advanced search screen in Google Scholar

Google Scholar uses a dropdown menu to show the advanced search preferences; you must be logged into Google to use them.