Most active commenters
  • freefaler(3)
  • consf(3)

←back to thread

20 years of Google Scholar

(blog.google)
412 points thepuppet33r | 27 comments | 18 Nov 24 18:01 UTC | HN request time: 1.674s | source | bottom
Show context
teruakohatu ◴[18 Nov 24 20:59 UTC] No.42176959[source]▶
The best thing, by a long way, that Google Scholar has achieved is denying Elsevier & co a monopoly on academic search.

In most universities here in New Zealand, articles have to be published in a journal indexed by Elsevier's Scopus. Not in a Scopus-indexed journal, it does not count anymore than a reddit comment. This gives Elsevier tremendous power. But in CS/ML/AI most academics and students turn to Google Scholar first when doing searches.

replies(2): >>42177049 #>>42182014 #
1. freefaler ◴[18 Nov 24 21:07 UTC] No.42177049[source]▶
or turn to sci-hub and annas-arhive :)
replies(5): >>42177217 #>>42177399 #>>42177609 #>>42177877 #>>42179815 #
2. philipkglass ◴[18 Nov 24 21:24 UTC] No.42177217[source]▶
You use Google Scholar to find papers you're interested in, then use sci-hub to actually read them.
replies(3): >>42177444 #>>42180772 #>>42187763 #
3. teruakohatu ◴[18 Nov 24 21:40 UTC] No.42177399[source]▶
Does sci-hub have up to date content these days?

Having pretty wide journal access through my institution means I don’t need to reach out to sci-hub.

replies(1): >>42177523 #
4. freefaler ◴[18 Nov 24 21:45 UTC] No.42177444[source]▶
indeed... and use Zotero with the correct plugin to download them automagically
replies(1): >>42177489 #
5. epcoa ◴[18 Nov 24 21:50 UTC] No.42177489{3}[source]▶
sci-hub hasn't been updated in 4 years and the sources for annas-archive like nexus-stc are seriously hit or miss (depends on the field).
replies(2): >>42177528 #>>42185104 #
6. epcoa ◴[18 Nov 24 21:54 UTC] No.42177523[source]▶
sci-hub proper hasn't been updated since it's indefinite pause in december 2020. Alternatives are of variable success depending on field. It might be better for CS/Math, but medicine and life sciences it's pretty bad.
replies(1): >>42177628 #
7. freefaler ◴[18 Nov 24 21:54 UTC] No.42177528{4}[source]▶
Nothing lasts forever, but the model of buying a paper for 40$ from Elsevier isn't much better. Depending on the field there are other sources, but still a hit rate is about 85-90%.
8. whimsicalism ◴[18 Nov 24 22:03 UTC] No.42177609[source]▶
scihub is dying unfortunately :( the good news is it is happening just as all the fields i'm interested in except for some experimental physics & biology have moved to OA
replies(2): >>42179063 #>>42181919 #
9. whimsicalism ◴[18 Nov 24 22:05 UTC] No.42177628{3}[source]▶
i believe they paused due to an indian court injunction and the case was heard this year, does anyone know any update?
replies(1): >>42180060 #
10. Loughla ◴[19 Nov 24 00:55 UTC] No.42179063[source]▶
oa resources have really kicked it into high gear post covid. They used to be kind of a joke, but they're actually competitive now. It's nice to see.
replies(1): >>42179709 #
11. Onawa ◴[19 Nov 24 03:00 UTC] No.42179709{3}[source]▶
I believe NIH's directive that all intramural and extramural research must be published OA has helped move things in that direction quite a lot.
12. thrdbndndn ◴[19 Nov 24 03:20 UTC] No.42179815[source]▶
I'm a proud user of sci-hub but when I was still in academics, I have never used it. My school has access to all the journals I ever needed, plus more old non-digitized ones I can borrow from library (including interlibrary access).
replies(4): >>42180692 #>>42180777 #>>42183406 #>>42185587 #
13. insane_dreamer ◴[19 Nov 24 04:15 UTC] No.42180060{4}[source]▶
How would an Indian court case have any jurisdiction in Russia (not to mention mirrors)?
replies(1): >>42180610 #
14. cipheredStones ◴[19 Nov 24 06:40 UTC] No.42180610{5}[source]▶
Sci-Hub complied with the order with the intent to actually argue their case (and possibly establish a legal justification for the site), rather than just defying the order and continuing to play cat-and-mouse with every authority.
replies(1): >>42183521 #
15. thrw42A8N ◴[19 Nov 24 06:57 UTC] No.42180692[source]▶
My school has no such thing and yet requires me to find and cite research.
replies(1): >>42180781 #
16. consf ◴[19 Nov 24 07:15 UTC] No.42180772[source]▶
I remember that when I no longer had access to university subscriptions, Sci-Hub was my salvation during those times when I had no money of my own
17. consf ◴[19 Nov 24 07:16 UTC] No.42180777[source]▶
For those outside such institutions, tools like Sci-Hub often become a lifeline (as it was for me)
18. consf ◴[19 Nov 24 07:17 UTC] No.42180781{3}[source]▶
I think access to research shouldn't be a luxury or dependent on where you study
replies(1): >>42182991 #
19. kedarkhand ◴[19 Nov 24 10:27 UTC] No.42181919[source]▶
Sorry but what is OA?
replies(1): >>42181964 #
20. bloak ◴[19 Nov 24 10:35 UTC] No.42181964{3}[source]▶
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_access (I assume)
21. slashtab ◴[19 Nov 24 13:07 UTC] No.42182991{4}[source]▶
Reminds me of Aaron Swartz.
replies(1): >>42185921 #
22. ryzvonusef ◴[19 Nov 24 13:51 UTC] No.42183406[source]▶
It depends on the discipline, also the mode of learning (I'm distance learning so no physical library access).

My uni (Northampton) has access to a LOT of journals... but has a blindspot in management, specifically accountancy focus journals; am doing my lit review for my MSc dissertation and the number of times I hit a dead end is frustrating.

Sci-hub and Annas-Archive are also not interested in that segment, so double whammy.

But surprisingly Archive.org was able to help me out a bit, so thanks for that.

23. joshuaissac ◴[19 Nov 24 14:03 UTC] No.42183521{6}[source]▶
And this is because they have a chance of winning. The same court has previously adopted a broad interpretation of what constitutes fair dealing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Oxford_v._Ramesh...

24. mateus1 ◴[19 Nov 24 16:17 UTC] No.42185104{4}[source]▶
Any alternatives?
25. Suppafly ◴[19 Nov 24 16:59 UTC] No.42185587[source]▶
>My school has access to all the journals I ever needed

I miss being on a university network and having paywalled journals and such just magically load.

26. Melatonic ◴[19 Nov 24 17:23 UTC] No.42185921{5}[source]▶
The legend
27. orochimaaru ◴[19 Nov 24 20:29 UTC] No.42187763[source]▶
Not sure if researchgate is still a thing. I had it and uploaded all my papers there. They show up automatically on Google. I believe this is allowed since you’re allowed to share copies of your publication on your website.

The problem is my researchgate account was connected to my academic account. It’s been a while since I graduated so I’ve lost access to my own publications and page.

But I used to use researchgate and requests in researchgate quite a bit.