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SEARCHING TIPS FOR ANY ASSIGNMENT: FINDING QUALITY/ACADEMIC SOURCES: Search Tips, Databases vs. Websites, Etc.

This LibGuide is to assist students who are struggling to find information for an assignment, essay, etc. This LibGuide provides tips and tricks for better researching results.

Can I Use Regular Websites That I've Googled?

Whether or not you are permitted to use general websites is up to your individual teacher, so before you do your research check with them. Then, you want to find the best resources possible for the assignment.

Although Databases will always guarantee you quality/academic resources, websites should not be overlooked, particularly when it comes to pop culture type topics, which are difficult to find on academic database sites. Many websites (particularly .org. .gov, and .edu) have valuable information to offer. For websites, however, keep in mind that you will need to do some checking for validity by researching the website's author, date of publication, biases, etc. Check out the "Verifying Source Validity" tab on this LibGuide if you'd like help with that. 

Database Versus Website

Internet sources (websites) may be okay, but databases guarantee reviewed content that is evaluated for authority and accuracy, which means you have direct (and free) access to current, quality, and scholarly information (that comes complete with citations), so consider exploring "DATABASES: List of All Padua Databases first, using the above tab (keep in mind that many teachers require them for research).  Also keep in mind that publishing dates and authors/publishers are included on any quality source.  If you decide to go with a general website instead of a database, at least check it for validity, which you can do using **the SIFT Method or CRAAP test (see info on this page).

Google Search Tips

For academic research, teachers/professors will discourage or not even permit a Google search, but if you must, at least do a better Google search by trying to stick with .edu, org, and .gov sites...and by putting your sources through the CRAP test (by checking for (C)currency, (R)reliability, (A)authority & (P)purpose/pov). You want to be sure you're looking at a reliable source. Here are some additional tips:

  1. If you only want academic sites, which is highly advised for academic research (and not .com - commercial sites), type the following into the search box:  vegitarianism .org .edu .gov  (see additional info in box)
  2. ​Quotation marks will always help Google narrow down your topic, so type the following: "Cuban Missile Crisis" (see additional info in box)
  3. Trying to find information in a certain time period? Use a range of numbers to search. For example, you would type the following:  teen and texting accidents and 2015...2017
  4. Use the words AND and OR to your advantage  (see additional info in box)
  5. Consider a Wild Card (*) if you can’t remember a term. You might get lucky.  For example: Put in * Hitchcock or * Bruins + Parma, OH if you don’t remember a school’s name along with whatever else you might know.
  6. If you want to search a specific site for information, here's how you do it. Let's say you want to search the topic of euthanasia, but you know that you really like procon.org, so that's the website you'd like to search. You would put the following in your Google search: euthanasia site:procon.org
  7. Use a "-" sign to eliminate things. You want to know about bass guitar...not bass the fish, so you would type into the search box the following:  bass -fish  (see additional info in box)
  8. Do you love a particular site and wish you could find more sites like that one? Do a similar site search by typing the following:  related:imdb.com  (be sure to have the domain (like .com or .org) listed with the site's name). 

                                                                               

Specific Resources

If you need specific types of resources, like maps or polls, etc., you can use the .ORG search mentioned above to help you search out those specific resources.  See the following screenshot (which shows how this individual wants information about poverty, but is specifically looking for polls and maps that contain that information).

How To Access Just .ORG and .EDU and .GOV Sources (Better Website Choices)

Q:  My teacher told me that I’m only allowed to use .edu and .org and .gov sites for this paper.  How do I do that?

A:  In the search (query) box, put “your search term/phrase" and .edu .org .gov  This will force those sites to appear first in your results list. WOW!!!!

 

Research Paper & General Research

If you'd like to explore a LibGuide dedicated to research papers, then check out the Research Papers & General Research LibGuide (complete with Databases, Websites, Debate Sites, and Additional Tips).