Google Scholar Through the Eyes of Academics

Year 2018, Volume: 2 Issue: 2, 1 - 10, 31.12.2018

Esadiye Pekdemir

Abstract

Known and used extensively worldwide, Google Scholar is an search engine offered by Google that specifically enables academics and students alike to conduct academic and scientific research. In this sense, it is important that we investigate how researchers and academics view Google Scholar, as well as look not only how they use it and the issues that they face when using it, but also obtain their feedback in terms of how it could better be improved. Hence, this study aims to evaluate Google Scholar through the lens of their viewpoints. In order to reach our objective, we examined and disclosed how academics viewed Google Scholar in general, how they used it, both the benefits that they felt they had received from, alongside the kinds of issues that faced while using it. We also had asked the participants for feedback as to how Google Scholar could better be improved upon. Our research was qualitative in nature due to the fact that it set out to assess people's personal opinions. We likewise used criterion sampling in order to establish our sample population. Hence, those interviewed included 15 academics employed at a Turkish university between 2018 and 2019 during its spring semester. First, we used semi-structured interviewing to collect the target data. We then examined that data using descriptive analysis. Finally, we then presented our findings in accordance with the objectives outlined in study.

Keywords

Google Scholar, Academic search, Scientific research, Academic search engine

References

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