Hidden research tools in Google Scholar

Google Scholar is an outstanding research tool, and almost all of our open access journals are indexed there. When using Google Scholar it's easy to overlook how powerful it is. Here are five useful research tools you may not have been aware of:

1. Import citations. Google Scholar can be set to display bibliographic citation import links for BibTex, EndNote, RefMan, RefWorks, or WenXianWang. To activate this, click on "Scholar Preferences", scroll down to "Bibliography Manager" and select the citation manager of your choice, then click the "Save Preferences" button.
2. Show search results in a new window. A simple but useful function for managing more complicated searches, particularly if you're restricted to a browser which doesn't support tabs. To activate this, go to "Scholar Preferences" and tick the box beside "Results Window."
3. Limit search results to articles in a specific journal. Click on "Advanced Scholar Search" and enter the journal name.
4. Find non-OA material that your library subscribes to. In "Scholar Preferences" enter the name of your library then click "Save." If your library doesn't belong to Google Scholar's Library Links program consider asking them to join.
5. Restrict your search by date. To find articles published after 2004 on a particular topic, enter a date on in the "Date" field on the Advanced Scholar Search page.