Tips and tricks for using Google Scholar

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Google Scholar logoGoogle Scholar, the academic version of the Google search engine, enables you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed articles, theses, and books. The results come from a variety of sources, among which are academic publishers and university repositories.

Below are some tips and tricks for using Google Scholar more effectively.

Google Scholar

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  • Use Google Scholar within the UvA domain. This way Google will automatically add UvA-linker to your search results. If the UvA library subscribes to the digital version of a publication, UvA-linker will give you immediate access to it.
  • Click on the 'hamburgerย menu' in the top left-hand corner box to see the Advanced search options. It is possible to search for publications by a particular author or published within a specific period of time or to search within a specific journal.
  • Select Case law below the search box to find US case law. You can search by citation or keywords and select specific courts to refine your results. (Only visible when using the English version of Google Scholar.)
  • Click Cited by below a search result to find other publications that cite this document. When you find a document that was published a few years ago, you can use this function to find more recent publications ("forward citation tracking").
  • Use quotation marks to search for specific phrases, for example "personal data protection". This will help you find documents that are more relevant.

Google Scholar quotation marks

Keep in mind that Google Scholar does not cover everything. Don't forget to use other databases like HeinOnline and Westlaw (or Legal Intelligence for Dutch law) as well.

Although many documents come from academic databases, always check if a resource is trustworthy and up to date.

Update: 21 February 2023

2 thoughts on “Tips and tricks for using Google Scholar

  1. Pingback: Most read blog posts of 2015 – JURBIB

  2. Pingback: Quickly look up references with Google Scholar Button – JURBIB

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