Search Tips
This page offers helpful hints and tutorials to get you started.
Crash Course: Basics of Searching Literature
Many paths lead to scientific information! A good start for your first search is the video tutorial Crash Course - Basics of Searching Literature, which our information experts at the SUB Göttingen have created for you!
Courses on Literature Search
We regularly offer a variety of courses on literature search. The courses are held online and on-site in small groups, and participation is free of charge. Some of them are held in English. You will learn how to use subject-specific databases, research techniques, and strategic approaches to searching effectively.
Video Tutorials
Our YouTube playlist brings together videos and tutorials on research – from the basics to specific strategies for finding information.
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Google Scholar
Google Scholar is frequently used because it lists both scientific articles that are subject to licensing and open access publications. If you access Google Scholar via the campus network, you will also find the direct link to the content, provided that the SUB Göttingen has licensed an article found. This also works from home by using eduVPN and starting Google Scholar via the database info system.
The Fastest Route to Your Text: Using the Linkresolver
In many databases you will see our linkresolver button next to search results and references.
If you click on the button, you will be offered a menu with various options in a new window. In particular, you will find a link to the full text if it is available electronically for the University of Göttingen.
The linkresolver menu is context-sensitive. Depending on the research database used, the title requested and our holdings and licences, you will be offered the appropriate options. The menu may contain the following links, among others:
- to the full text - if available
- to holdings records in the local catalogue and in GöDiscovery
- to holdings records in union catalogues with the option to order documents
- further information on the requested title
In many databases you will already find links to the link resolver of the SUB, and this service is continuously being extended.
If you have further questions, please read the answers to the following FAQs or write an e-mail to linkresolver@sub.uni-goettingen.de.
FAQs about the SUB’s link resolver
A link resolver provides links from references in databases and journals to the corresponding full-text versions, where these are available electronically to the University of Göttingen.
If full-text access is not available, other services are offered to help locate or order the desired document (e.g. the local catalogue or interlibrary loan).
The link resolver is integrated into a number of databases available through the Göttingen State and University Library (SUB), and the range of services on offer is constantly being expanded. If you come across a bibliographic reference whilst conducting a search, clicking the link resolver button will open a window offering you suitable services.
The list of databases in which the SUB’s link resolver is enabled is constantly being expanded.
You may be searching a database that is not yet compatible with link resolvers. Furthermore, there are also databases where the button only appears once the full details of the individual citations are displayed. In some databases, instead of the button, you will see the text ‘SUB Göttingen “Links”’ (e.g. in Google Scholar).
The link resolver menu is generated dynamically and is context-sensitive. Depending on the search database used, the title requested, and our holdings and licences, you will be presented with the relevant options. The menu may include the following links, amongst others:
- to the full text – if available
- to holdings records in the local catalogue and in GöDiscovery
- to holdings records in union catalogues with the option to order the document
- to further information about the title requested
The menu is always generated dynamically based on the query. Where possible, links to electronic full-text versions are displayed. However, if no electronic full-text version is available, a search can be initiated in the local OPAC or the item can be requested via interlibrary loan.
The data transmitted by the source database (the Open URL) is crucial to the quality of the link resolver menu provided. For example, to offer you the best options for accessing a journal, the ISSN is essential; for accessing a specific journal article, additional information is required. If this metadata is only partially available when the menu is generated, you may be presented with a very sparse menu and individual services may not function satisfactorily.
As a general rule, links to electronic documents are only provided if full-text access has been licensed for the University of Göttingen or is freely available.
If the link resolver cannot provide you with a link to the full text for the SUB Göttingen, it will offer you further options through which you may be able to access the desired title. A print copy or a link to the electronic full text may also be available via the local catalogue or GöDiscovery. Another option is the document delivery service or interlibrary loan request.
Please send an email to linkresolver@sub.uni-goettingen.de.
Literature Search Using AI
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) can make scientific literature search easier and help reveal connections – but it does not replace professional evaluation of quality, context, and interpretation. We highlight the advantages and limitations of AI tools for research and introduce suitable applications.
Literature Search for your Subjects
Depending on your field of study, different starting points may be more suitable for your research. There are also subject-specific tools and resources you should be familiar with. You can find more detailed information and contacts on our subject pages.
A Search Example: The Thematic Search
Are you writing a seminar paper or have to prepare a presentation and need scientific sources? It makes sense to start with a thematic search if you need literature on a specific topic and do not know any relevant titles. Your search results depend crucially on the search terms you use.
Searching in catalogues and subject databases can be a bit tedious for beginners, but it's worth it, because by searching in our catalogues you can access specialist literature and databases that are relevant to your studies and research and cannot be found elsewhere.
1. Background Reading and Preparation
To identify suitable search terms, start with some background reading - textbooks, subject encyclopedias or even Wikipedia to understand the context of the topic and the terminology used in the discussion. Select a small number of publications that could give you a general overview of the topic.
2. Determine Search Terms
At the beginning of a literature search, it is necessary to identify as many of the most important terms associated with the topic as possible. On the other hand, you also need to narrow it down because it can quickly become too much. We have the following tips:
- Don't stick to the wording of the topic when researching! By thinking about different aspects of the topic and the question or by exchanging ideas with others, you will come up with more good search terms.
- Look at the content indexing of good hits: Many of the library's media are indexed by the subject librarians. This means that they are assigned certain terms that reflect or characterize the content. These are often linked in the catalogues so that you can see other titles that have been indexed in the same or a similar way!
- Make a note of authors or institutions that publish a lot on the topic and start search queries in the catalogue.
- Start the first search query and see which other useful search terms appear in the hit lists and use these search terms.
- When the first titles are available, evaluate the footnotes and bibliographies.
- Record further search terms from the first readings.
- Keep a list of useful search terms.
Too many hits, no more orientation? Don't panic! Start with one title, read it very carefully and proceed step by step. Focus on quality, not quantity! And always keep your initial question in mind when defining your further search.
3. Further Steps
Searching for Literature ist time-consuming, because it usually takes time to find the right content. If a title does not contain the desired information after screening, the search must be continued. Sometimes it helps to identify topics and terms that fall within the scope of the search query. We recommend:
- Reviewing the bibliographies of the titles found
- Combine other search queries with "and", "or", "not"
- Look on the shelf to see what is next to the work you are looking for
- Use the advanced search function in catalogues and databases
- Work with truncation (*) and phrase search ("")
Unfortunately, regardless of the subject you are studying, there is no single source of information that contains everything you need for your literature search. However, a good place to start your search is the Göttingen University Catalogue (GUK) and GöDiscovery.