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Frederick E. Berry Library and Learning Commons

EDC 120: Justice in Education

Google vs Library Databases

Google and Other Search Engines Library Databases
  • Scholarly journal articles

  • Popular magazine articles

  • Newspaper articles

  • Reference book articles (e.g., directories, encyclopedias)

  • Books

  • No sponsors or ads

 

Google and Other Search Engines Library Databases
  • Best for personal information needs including shopping and entertainment.

  • When you have time to more carefully evaluate information found on the open web.

  • Best for college level research.

  • When you need to find credible information quickly.

 

Google and Other Search Engines Library Databases
  • Lack of control allows anybody to publish their opinions and ideas on the Internet.  

  • Not evaluated (for the most part).  Need to more carefully evaluate web sites for bias, accuracy, and completeness.

  • Many sites are not updated regularly and can become outdated.

  • Articles and books written by journalists or experts in a professional field.

  • All material in database is evaluated for accuracy and credibility by subject experts and publishers.

  • Reviewed and updated regularly.

 

Google and Other Search Engines  Library Databases
  • Most information found through a search engine is free. 

  • Library databases cannot be accessed through search engines or the open web.

  • Many web sites found through Internet search engines contain licensedproprietary information and require you to logon with a user account.  You must already be a member or pay for a subscription in order to access the material from these web sites.

 

Google and Other Search Engines Library Databases
  • Web site content can often change.

  • Web pages and sites may disappear for a number of reasons.  May not be able to retrieve the same content at a later time.

  • Published content from journals, magazines, newspapers and books does not change.

  • Most material remains in database for a significant length of time and can be easily retrieved again.

 

Internet

Think about how might I use the keywords/concepts to construct a search?  What type of resources do I need and how many?
  • Identify keywords and concepts.  Think of similar terms.
  • Describe your research topic in a sentence or phrase
  • Start with the basics.  Google it and CRAAP it out!     
Currency
Relevancy
Accuracy
Authority
Purpose
  • When was the information published or last updated?
  • Have more recent articles been published on your topic?
  • Does your topic change rapidly (Popular culture, technology)?
  • Does the source add something new to your knowledge of the topic?
  • Is the information too technical or simplified for you to use? 
  • Does the information meet the requirements of the assignment?
  • Are there statements you know to be false? 
  • Is it free from errors - spelling, punctuation, or grammar?
  • Are there links to other reliable sources?
  • What are the Author's credentials?
  • Is the author affiliated with an educational institution or prominent organization?
  • Is the relationship between the author and the institution clear?
  • Can you find information about the author from the source?
  • Is there an obvious bias or prejudice?  
  • Are alternate points of view presented? 
  • Is the author's purpose to sell, persuade, entertain or sell?