Overview
This lecture explains why library databases are essential for research, highlighting their credibility, access to restricted content, and advanced search features compared to general web search engines.
Limitations of Web Search Engines
- Web search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo) only show publicly available information.
- Many high-quality resources are behind paywalls and not accessible for free online.
- Anyone can publish online, making it hard to verify information credibility.
- Search engines return millions of results with few ways to narrow them down effectively.
- Finding specific, reliable information for research is difficult using just search engines.
Advantages of Library Databases
- Databases provide access to articles, books, images, charts, and primary sources not freely available on the web.
- Some databases cover many subjects, while others are specialized for specific topics.
- Content includes popular magazines, newspapers, trade journals, encyclopedias, and scholarly, peer-reviewed articles.
- Materials are chosen for credibility, written by journalists, researchers, and experts.
- Databases offer advanced search tools to narrow results by date, source type, and more.
- Some databases suggest additional keywords to refine searches.
- Many include formatted citations for easy use in research papers.
Finding and Using Databases
- Choose a database relevant to your research topic for best results.
- Use search filters and suggested keywords to refine your results and save time.
- Use provided citations to correctly reference your sources.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Database — a searchable collection of information, such as articles, books, or images, often not freely available online.
- Peer-reviewed — articles reviewed by experts in the field before publication to ensure quality and credibility.
- Primary source — original materials or evidence directly related to a topic, such as diaries, interviews, or research reports.
- Citation — a reference that provides publication details for a source used in research.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Identify and access library databases suited to your research topic.
- Practice using advanced search tools and filters in a database.
- Use formatted citations provided by databases in your research assignments.