Google Scholar is better than the library, and you don’t have to return anything!

When searching for academic journals and scholarly articles I’ve found Google Scholar to be a handy tool. Here’s how I usually go about it:

https://scholar.google.com/schhp?hl=en

1. Access Google Scholar: First, I navigate to Google Scholar (scholar.google.com). This specialized search engine is tailored for academic and scholarly research, making it ideal for finding credible and detailed studies.
2. Use Specific Keywords: I think carefully about the keywords I use. For instance, if I’m looking for research on the ‘extreme male brain theory’ of Autism, I type exactly that into the search bar. Being specific helps in filtering out irrelevant results.
3. Refine Your Search: Once I have my initial results, I often refine them using the tools provided by Google Scholar. I can filter by year to get the most recent studies, or if I’m looking for foundational research, I might look at older papers.
4. Look at Citations: One feature I find really useful is the ‘Cited by’ link under each search result. This shows me how many other papers have cited this particular study, which is a good indicator of its influence and relevance in the field.
5. Accessing the Full Text: Sometimes, the full text of an article is freely available directly through Google Scholar. Other times, I might only see a preview or an abstract. In those cases, I check if I have access through any academic or public library resources. Some articles might require payment, but I try to find free sources first.
6. Using the Reference List: Just like in any academic journal, the reference list in each paper is incredibly valuable. It leads me to more related research, helping me to broaden my understanding of the topic.
7. Saving and Organizing Research: Finally, when I find particularly useful articles, I make sure to save them. Google Scholar allows me to create a personal library, where I can save and organize the papers I find most relevant.