Research Guides: EDC 120: Justice in Education: Google vs. Library Databases

Google vs Library Databases

Google and Other Search Engines

Library Databases

Few free scholarly journal articles and books.
Popular web sites (e.g., Wikipedia, Facebook)
Commercial web sites (e.g., eBay, Amazon)
Educational web sites (e.g., Salem State University, University of Massachusetts)
Government web sites (e.g., Library of Congress, Mass.gov)
Statistics (e.g., U.S. Census Bureau)
Organizational web sites (e.g., American Psychological Association)
Current news & information (e.g., CNN)
Email, chat (e.g., Gmail, Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts)
Many sponsors and 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 Many sites are not updated regularly and can become outdated.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 licensed, proprietary 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.	Library database subscriptions are paid for through the university/library. To access the Salem State University Library databases from off-campus, contact library staff.

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.

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?