VERSUS

Trisha Prevett

Reference Librarian

Library Boot Camp Series

Spring 2014

TOPICS COVERED

How search engines and Google work

Google Scholar How library databases work Similarities & Differences When to use Google or Library tools

Tips & Tricks to searching

GOOGLE SCHOLAR

Same algorithms as regular Google, focuses on locating “academic papers” Journals (open access especially) Conference papers Theses & Dissertations Books Technical reports

NO PEER REVIEWED OPTION How is this information reviewed for

inclusion?

GOOGLE VS GOOGLE SCHOLAR

How do they compare to each other? Let’s try it!

Search smoking and teenagers and depression in both:

www.google.com www.nova.edu/library/main GS tab (5th)

LIBRARY DATABASES

Paid for collections of information that are searchable Library pays vendors like ProQuest, Ebsco & Gale for

their searchable databases that contain publishers’ information eBooks Dissertations Articles from newspapers, magazines, scholarly

journals Encyclopedias, dictionaries

These types of information are NOT viewable from Google

SEARCHING LIBRARY DATABASES

Most default to advanced search pages with multiple boxes

Can do keyword searches by using AND OR NOT Direct database where

to search for these keywords Anywhere in the

text Title Abstract Author

Many many options to control and limit searches Date Publication type Scholarly & Peer

Reviewed Methodology and

others Let’s try it with the same

smoking teenagers and depression topic!

SIMILARITIES

Both have keyword searching capabilities Both use algorithms to sort results Provide access to information

DIFFERENCES

Never see the payment page for information (if you do it’s a fluke, let us know) We can get you a copy through Interlibrary

Loan Our resources are “librarian approved” Google just indexes information does not

“judge” it Google’s algorithms look at your location,

previous searches and other histories to target and push you results

USES

Need reliable information? Use LIBRARY RESOURCES Need to locate obscure information and can’t find it?

Check Google Scholar then regular Google Looking for statistics? Check out government websites

www.nces.ed.gov Education Statistics www.cdc.gov.nchs Health Statistics Do a Google search with topic site: .gov

Looking for peer reviewed journal articles? Use library databases!

RECAP

Google & GS is OK when looking for government information or obscure information

Library databases are best when you need high quality, peer reviewed information

Our databases provide access to many publications that you can only get through publishers

Our resources provide free and equal access to information, not like Google