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Google Scholar

A how-to guide on searching Google Scholar effectively.

Search Conventions

Searching Google Scholar can be a challenge but if you keep these search conventions in mind you'll be in good shape to get the best results possible for your query. 

  • Know what you're looking for. Adjusting and changing topics can make things messy. Try to stick with a general idea for searching.
  • Be descriptive. Google can accept up to 32 words in the search field. 
    • Too few terms or too many "stop words" (ie. what, is, how, and, or, besides, the, is, of, etc.) you will not be searching as effectively. 
  • Search words are not case sensitive.
    • Exception: Boolean Operators do need to be in all caps. 
  • AND is the default operator. 
    • if you do not add any Boolean operators to your query, Google will automatically assume that an 'AND' is set between the words. 
    • Ex: when searching for an apartment in Milwaukee you would enter: Apartment Milwaukee. The AND between the words is already added by Google. 
  • Word order makes a difference: Google ranks the words in your search by the order in which you entered them into the search box. 
    • if you search: engineering school - "engineering" is the term given more precedence. 
  • Google typically ignores punctuation. 
    • Exceptions: 
      • the dollar sign ($) when used in searching for a price. 
      • Underscore/ Hyphen - do_ not_ resuscitate or father-in-law
      • Symbols used to convey meaning.
        • #f or C++

Google Scholar Field Tags

Google Scholar Field tags can be used to make searching more direct and efficient. See below for details: 

Field tag What it does Example
Site: Searches a specific site for the terms you are looking for OR it can search for a specific site type (Like .gov, .edu., Etc.) No space between the semicolon and the keywords.

CPT Codes Site:CMS.gov

Writing help site:.edu
filetype: Searches the internet for your topic and for a file type that you specify. This could be a PDF, Word Docs, Excel Spreadsheets, Code, and more. See this link for a complete list of file types. No space between the semicolon and the keywords. Endoscope price filetype:PDF
intitle: Results will have the keywords in the title. No space between the semicolon and the keywords. intitle:vector
intext: Results will have the keywords or phrases within the text itself. No space between the semicolon and the keywords.  intext:"nurse practitioner"
define

Search for definitions from various sources. Can use with/without colon.

With colon: Results are restricted to a list of definitions.

Without colon: Results are broadened to include dictionary definitions plus other relevant pages.

No space between the semicolon and the keywords.

define:civil disobedience

define chaos theory
published: Searches keyword in specific publications/ journals. No space between the semicolon and the keywords. published:new England journal of medicine
author: Search for a document or topic by a specific author. No space between the semicolon and the keywords.  author:"first name last name"
source: When searching a specific publication or article you can use source as a way to find a keyword in that document. No space between the semicolon and the keywords. source:software
ininventor: When searching for patents you can use this field tag to look for a specific inventor. No space between the semicolon and the keywords. ininventor:"first name last name"
assignee When searching for patents you can use this field tag to find results that include the owner of the patent you are looking for. No space between the semicolon and the keywords. assignee:"entity name"
allintitle:

Search for multiple words in the title of the search result.

Restricts results to pages that have all query words in title of the page. Use with individual words only; for phrases, use intitle: 

 allintitle:LGBTQ+ Discrimination 
allintext: Search for multiple words in the body of the search result. Restricts results to pages that have all query words in body of the document. Use with individual words only; for phrases, use intext: allintext:outlook phishing scam
safesearch: Excludes any adult content. No spaces between semicolon and the keywords. 

safesearch:sex education
related: Searches for related topics, themes, or items.  related:foxnews.com
(Searches websites similar to the one in the search.)

 

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If you have suggestions for how to make this page better, please contact Elizabeth Jerow, Library Director (jerow@msoe.edu).