Google Scholar
Google Scholar provides a broad search across journal and conference papers, theses, dissertations, academic books, preprints, abstracts, technical reports, and other scholarly literature. Results may include citation counts, related articles, formatted citations, and links supplied by a library or publisher.
What it helps with
It is a practical first search when a question crosses disciplines or when you know a title, author, or phrase but not the publishing database.
Important limitations
A result does not guarantee access to the complete document. Coverage and ranking are broad rather than a substitute for a carefully documented search in a specialized research database.
Why it is useful
It is a practical first search when a question crosses disciplines or when you know a title, author, or phrase but not the publishing database. Citation and related-article links can also help trace earlier work and research that followed it.
Limitations
A result does not guarantee access to the complete document; many links lead to subscription publishers. Coverage and ranking are broad rather than a substitute for a carefully documented search in a specialized research database.