This training outlines effective searching techniques when using Google, Google Scholar and other Google resources. It also provides tips for evaluating search results.
By the end of this training, learners should:
- Be able to conduct effective searches on Google and Google Scholar using advanced search options and limits.
- Be able to evaluate search results.
Training Outline:
- How to conduct effective searches of Google using advanced search options and limits, for example:
- Building search strings using Google functionality
- Using Google limits e.g. by site, filetype and type of resource material
- Using operators
- Filtering search results
- Setting up alerts
- How to conduct effective searches of Google Scholar, for example:
- Planning and building searches
- Following a citation trail and searching within that trail
- Generating citations
- Saving articles to your Scholar Library; downloading articles from your library
- Setting up alerts
- Link to your own library’s subscriptions
- Improve Google Scholar’s functionality by linking to Publish or Perish
- Use of other Google services such as Google Books and Google News.
- Evaluating authority and websites - evaluating the quality of websites located and the authority of an author.
Resources for facilitators and learners
Videos, online tutorials:
- “Using Google Scholar to find academic information”, University College Dublin.
- “Evaluating Information on the Web”, University College Dublin.
- “Choose the Best Info: Apply Authority”, University of Guelph.
Examples of presentations:
- Julia Barrett. “Searching Google, Google Scholar and Other Google Resources: Science, Technology, Medicine”, University College Dublin.
- Julia Barrett. “Searching Google, Google Scholar and Other Google Resources: Humanities & Social Sciences”, University College Dublin.
Examples of practical exercises, handouts and tip sheets:
- “Google Cheat Sheet”, University College Dublin.
- Google Search Operators: The Complete List (44 Advanced Operators) by Joshua Hardwick.
- “Search Modifiers Cheat Sheet”, University of Guelph.
- “Boolean Operators Cheat Sheet”, University of Guelph.
- “Sample Exercises for practicing Google and Google Scholar" [download], University College Dublin.
- Always check Google Scholar website for tips, as they are mostly up to date: