Denise Warner
Databases
A database is a searchable collection of information. College libraries, and other libraries too, subscribe to databases. Click on the link below and read the information on the LCC library’s website about databases.
https://www.lcc.edu/library/find/about-databases.html
Google as a Research Tool
Google is a good source of background information about a topic or finding information on a government website (.gov) or an organizaiton’s website (.org). However, A “Google search” is not always the best choice for reliable and credible information.
- Google does NOT have ACCESS to ALL of the existing information about a topic! Google only has access to free information that people or organizations put on the internet.
- Many high quality resources are not free; therefore, you cannot find them with a Google search. For example, many newspapers offer just a few articles for free on the internet, but you must have a subscription to access more articles.
- By using the library’s databases, you can find information that is not available on Google. The library pays for subscriptions to many high quality journals, newspapers, and magazines.
What is a “high quality” source of information?
Some indicators of quality include:
- A source that fact checks the information.
- A source whose authors are qualified to write about the subject.
- A source that uses reviewers and editors to make sure the content is accurate.
