Faculty Spotlight

The Use of Google Scholar and Academic Library Websites Among Academics

Students using computers.

Examining the use and efficacy of Google Scholar and academic library websites in finding scholarly information resources.

This study aims to investigate and compare the use of Google Scholar and academic library websites among academics including undergraduate students, graduate students, and professors/researchers. The purpose of this study is examining the use and efficacy of each site in finding scholarly information resources. To collect data, an online survey has been conducted with 978 academics in Research 1 public universities in the United States.

The main objectives of the research project include:

  • Understanding how academics use Google Scholar and academic websites to find information resources for their academic work.
  • Discovering what perceptions academics have regarding the usefulness of Google Scholar and academic websites in finding information resources.
  • Identifying key factors influencing academics to choose either Google Scholar or academic library websites in finding information resources.
  • Analyzing differences among undergraduates, graduates, and professors in their use of Google Scholar and academic library websites.
  • The preliminary results of this research will be presented by Assistant Professor Monica Colon-Aguirre and Assistant Professor Kyong Eun Oh at the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) 2017 Conference in Atlanta, GA, January 17-20, 2017.

This research is conducted by Assistant Professor Monica Colon-Aguirre and Assistant Professor Kyong Eun Oh from the College of Organizational, Computational, and Information Sciences. They employ a variety of research methods, including but not limited to, survey research, observation, diary studies, and think-aloud, use of the Usability Lab, as well as conceptual and theoretical inquiry.