Google Scholar

Definition

Google Scholar is a freely accessible web search engine that indexes the full text or metadata of scholarly literature across various formats, including articles, theses, books, conference papers, and patents. It serves as a valuable tool for researchers, students, and legal professionals to find case law, academic articles, and legal opinions that are essential for case law research.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Google Scholar provides a broad range of academic materials, making it useful for locating both primary and secondary sources in legal research.
2. The search engine allows users to set up alerts for specific topics or cases, which helps keep researchers updated on new publications.
3. While Google Scholar includes many legal documents, it may not cover all case law comprehensively, making it important to supplement with dedicated legal databases.
4. Users can often access full texts through links provided by Google Scholar, but availability may vary based on institutional subscriptions or publisher permissions.
5. Google Scholar tracks citations and provides metrics that can help assess the impact of particular works in the academic community.

Review Questions

• How does Google Scholar facilitate case law research for students and legal professionals?
  • Google Scholar facilitates case law research by providing a user-friendly platform to search for a wide variety of scholarly materials, including judicial opinions and law review articles. This search engine helps users locate relevant case law efficiently by indexing documents across multiple disciplines. Additionally, the ability to filter results by date or relevance allows researchers to quickly find the most pertinent information for their legal inquiries.
• Compare Google Scholar with traditional legal databases in terms of accessibility and comprehensiveness in case law research.
  • Google Scholar is more accessible than traditional legal databases since it is free to use without any subscription barriers, making it a go-to resource for many students and researchers. However, traditional legal databases often provide more comprehensive coverage of case law and offer advanced search features tailored specifically for legal research. While Google Scholar is a great starting point, users may need to rely on specialized databases to access certain cases or legal materials that are not fully indexed.
• Evaluate the implications of relying on Google Scholar as a primary source for case law research in a legal context.
  • Relying on Google Scholar as a primary source for case law research can have significant implications due to its potential limitations in coverage and accuracy. While it offers an extensive collection of scholarly articles and some court opinions, it may not always include the most current or comprehensive legal resources available. Legal professionals must critically assess the validity of the documents found through Google Scholar and consider cross-referencing with specialized legal databases to ensure thoroughness and accuracy in their research.

Related terms

Case Law: Law established by the outcome of former court cases, which can be cited as precedent in future legal decisions.

Legal Databases: Online resources that provide access to a wide range of legal documents, including statutes, case law, and legal journals.

Citations: References to legal or scholarly works that acknowledge the sources used in research and help verify claims made within legal arguments.