Multi-query center

Publish or Perish tutorial

Anne-Wil Harzing - Sat 6 Feb 2016 16:10 (updated Thu 2 Jun 2022 10:45)

Note: This tutorial was originally written for Publish or Perish version 4 and all screenshots come from this version. Later versions of Publish or Perish show the multi-query center at the top of every screen for easier access. Its basic functions are similar to PoP4, however.

The Publish or Perish Multi-query center page contains a list of recently executed queries. It also allows you to add further queries, optionally organized in folders that you want to keep for future reference.

Elements of the multi-query pane

The multi-query pane consists of a toolbar across the top, a tree view on the left and a list view on the right, as shown in the following screen shot.

The results for individual queries are shown in a results pane that is identical the Author Impact, Journal Impact and General citation search pages.

Multi-query toolbar

Across the top of the multi-query pane is the toolbar that contains the commands for the Multi Query Center. Not all commands are available at all times; for some commands (for example, Lookup and Lookup Direct) you must first select a query in the list on the right before the command becomes active. Unavailable commands are grayed out.

• Lookup: Looks up the current query, using the internal cache if possible. This means that if you have run the query before, the results will come from the cache and the search is not submitted to Google Scholar again. This is quicker and does not create unnecessary strain on Google Scholar.
• Lookup Direct: Looks up the current query, bypassing the internal cache and contacting Google Scholar directly. Only use Lookup Direct if you really want “fresh” data.
• New Query: Click this button to create a new query. It will be placed in the currently selected folder (or in the parent folder of the currently selected query).
• New Folder: Click this button to create a new query folder under the current folder. Please note that you can nest folders, i.e. you can make folders under the main All Queries folder, but you can also create as many levels of sub-folders as is useful to you.
• Import Query: Click this button to import external query data – such as ISI and Scopus data – into Publish or Perish. For more details see ISI Import.
• Cut: (shortcut Ctrl+X): Click this button to copy the currently selected folder or query to the Windows clipboard and delete it from its current position. You can then paste it into a different folder. Be careful if you are using this to move queries. For most users, it might be safer to use the mouse to drag the query or folder to a new folder.
• Copy: (shortcut Ctrl+C):Click this button to copy the currently selected folder or query to the Windows clipboard. You can then paste it into a different folder.
• Paste: (shortcut Ctrl+V): Click this button to paste the folder or query on the Windows clipboard into the current folder.
• Delete: (shortcut: use delete button): Click this button to delete the currently selected folder or query. If you delete a folder, all queries in it are also deleted. If you change your mind, you can retrieve the deleted folder from the Trash folder.
• Properties: (Shortcut Alt+Enter): Click this button to edit the currently selected folder or query.

Support Publish or Perish

The development of the Publish or Perish software is a volunteering effort that has been ongoing since 2006. Publish or Perish was designed to help individual academics to present their case for research impact and tenure and promotion to its best advantage, even if you have very few citations. You can also use it to decide which journals to submit to, to prepare for a job interview, to do a literature review, to do bibliometric research, to write laudatios or obituaries, or to do some homework before meeting your academic hero. Publish or Perish is a real Swiss army knife.

Download and use of Publish or Perish is and will remain free (gratis), but your support toward the costs of hosting, bandwidth, and software development is appreciated. Only about one user out of every ten thousand donates, so your support is very welcome. You can support Publish or Perish by donating, or by buying a PDF copy of the Publish or Perish Book or the Publish or Perish Tutorial.

If you find Publish or Perish useful, then this is your chance to say "thank you" to the developers.

Note: all prices are in Pounds Sterling (GBP). VAT does not apply.