Tutorials A-Z

Google Scholar is a search engine that searches scholarly literature on the internet. Instead of searching across the Internet for websites and webpages like Google does, Google Scholar searches specifically for books or articles. Google Scholar searches a wide array of publications across many disciplines and subjects. Most of the results you will find in Google Scholar are scholarly articles.

The search box works in much the same way that the regular Google search works. Your search keywords can be similar to what you would search in Google. 

We all use it - now let's learn to use it better! Improve your Googling skills to save time and make it easier to identify better sources of information.

Quotation marks

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• Use quotation marks around your search terms to search for the words in the exact order you would like, instead of separately.

intitle:

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• Use intitle: to retrieve webpages with your keywords in the title of the webpage

site:

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• Use site:. to retrieve webpages from URLs in the domain (.gov, .edu, .org) you specify.  

- (a hyphen or minus sign) 

• 
• Use - (a hyphen or minus sign) in front of words to exclude them from your search results.

OR

• 
  In the above example, Google will find results that include (election AND fraud) and (voter AND fraud).
• Use OR in between words to have either or both of the words included in your search results. OR must be capitalized. This is a good way to search for synonyms.

filetype:

• 
• Use filetype: to retrieve specific types of files (instead of html webpages). Works for finding most file types.

Combine strategies

• 
• Use several strategies at once for very specific results.

Connect Google Scholar to CCC Library so it will automatically tell you if you can get free full text from us. Make sure you are signed into your Google account for this link to show up every time. The steps for setting it up are below.

Please note: Google Scholar searches many of the library's databases, but does not include ALL of the library's resources.

1. Click on the menu in the top left-hand corner.

2. Click the Settings link or gear icon.

3. Click Library links, and then enter Clackamas Community College in the search bar.

4. Mark the checkbox next to Clackamas Community College to add it.

5. Save your settings. 

Now when you search Google Scholar, it will provide a link to the free full text of the article, if available, through CCC Library! 

Retrieve premade MLA9 and APA7 citations that you can copy and paste into your References or Works Cited list. Always check premade citations for formatting accuracy.

1. On the search results page, select the Cite icon (circled in red)
2. Click on the MLA or APA citation. It will automatically highlight
3. Copy the citation
   • Using a mouse, right click your mouse and select copy
   • Using a keyboard, select CTRL + C

The formatted citation is copied to your clipboard and ready to be pasted into your document.