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Research Paper Basics

What is a database?

What are Databases and Why You Need Them by Yavapai College Library on YouTube

Search Engines vs. Academic Databases

Search Engines Academic Databases

• Free searches of the entire internet yielding a multitude of results in a multitude of formats

• Searching is free, but access to the results may not be free or may require an email address or other personal data

• Databases are general or discipline-specific, and include articles, books, images, and more
• The college pays for access to databases
• Authority cannot be easily verified
• There is no review process
• Sources are curated by experts
• Peer-reviewed sources are easily identifiable
• Sources usually are not indexed
• Websites might move, change, or be deleted
• Information is indexed, evaluated, and updated regularly.
• Permalinks usually are included to take you back to the source.
• Ranking results is based on advertising or sponsorship, and algorithms (location, previous searches, previous purchases, etc.).
• Advanced searching yields results that are based on relevance to search terms, and there is no advertising
• No search tools to filter or refine search results, and to help write citations
• Database tools filter or refine searches, and citation tools generate citations in the appropriate style (APA, MLA, etc.)

 

Google Scholar searches the entire internet for scholarly articles. It has an Advanced Search option, a citation tool, and articles can be saved or bookmarked to read later. There is no option to limit to peer review. Some articles are full-text and available for free. Others require a fee.

In GoogleScholar, you will see a ViewIt@CoastalGeorgia. Link if the item is in GALILEO. On the internet, items in GALILEO may have an  OpenAthens link. Sign in using your Coastal Credentials. If you cannot find an article in GALILEO or GoogleScholar or on the internet, submit an Interlibrary Loan request.