Choosing Your Starting Point

Google or Library Databases?

Image credit: Pixabay Links to an external site. 

A common question students have is, “Why do I need to know about library databases when I can find everything I need using Google?” The short answer is:  Library databases have a lot more scholarly research content than Google (even including Google Scholar), they have more search functions to help you find exactly what you need, and, since the information has been reviewed before it’s published, you’re less likely to come across misinformation in library databases. In addition, library databases contain direct links to content that you can access with your UWNetID. 

Google Links to an external site. and Google Scholar Links to an external site. are great supplementary resources depending on your information needs and situation. If you’re using Google Scholar, make sure you connect it to your UW Libraries account so you can access paywalled articles. You can learn more about using Google Scholar with these help tips Links to an external site. or by watching this video Links to an external site.. 

When you need to find scholarly, peer-reviewed, or academic sources, for example, to bolster an argument in a paper, or make a medical decision, library databases are your best bet. They are curated collections of research articles, often grouped by discipline. The UW Libraries has over 600 databases, so the next question is, where do you start? You can see some recommended starting points by looking at the flowchart below.