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Research Impact

Google Scholar

What is a Google Scholar author profile?

A Google Scholar author profile is an easy and popular way for you to manage the citations of your articles. In the International Survey of Research University Faculty about the use of bibliometric ratings, identifiers and indicators, it is stated that Google Scholar is the most frequently used tool among researchers with 85% of the responders reporting its use.

Why create a Google Scholar author profile?

With a Google Scholar profile you can:

  • find out who is citing your publications,
  • chart your citations over time, 
  • gather several citation metrics,
  • showcase your publications,
  • associate your name with your research interests and find the profiles of others with similar interests.

How can I set up my Google Scholar profile?

If you wish to set up your author profile, you need to follow the steps below:

Go to Google Scholar . If you have a Google account , you will need to sign in, otherwise, you will need to create one. Once you sign in, click "My Profile" on the top left-hand corner.

Image showing the Profile option in Google Scholar

You can see that your profile appears automatically. Having a Google account, generates your generic profile in Google Scholar. You can use the pencil icon ( ) to edit your profile. You can use the camera icon ( ) to upload your photo.

Image showing the saving option in Google Scholar

Fill in the form with your name, affiliation, areas of interest, and homepage. You can also make your profile public, so that it may appear in Google Scholar results when people search for your name. Once you complete the form, click "SAVE" and your profile is ready.

Image showing how to edit an author's profile in Google Scholar

How can I add citations on my profile?

To start adding citations, use the plus square icon ( ). Google Scholar suggests lists of citations, or individual citations from which you could choose the ones to wish to appear in your profile. It also allows you to add citations manually, when these are not already indexed in Google Scholar.

How can I update the citations on my profile?

Google Scholar allows you to automatically update the citations in your profile or choose to receive an email with updates, so you can view them first and then confirm them, before they appear on your profile. To do so, you can use the plus square icon ( ) and select: "Configure article updates" and choose one of the two options that are available.

How does an author profile look like in Google Scholar?

If you search for a researcher's name in the Google Scholar search, you're taken to the researcher's Google Scholar profile, which is populated with information about her/his similar work. What you're seeing is:

  • at the top of the record, the researcher's name, and other names that she's/he's gone by, as well as his/her affiliations and research areas,
  • on the right-hand corner, the researcher's metrics including, the h-index, the i10 index and citation counts, and any co-authors.
  • under the name and metrics section, listed are the researcher's research works followed by the cited by metric.