Dr. Johnson Library Resources Course Guide: Resources
Websites Vs Library Resources
- Websites vs Library Resources
- Surface Web / Deep Web
- Unstable / Stable
- Difficult to Verify / Authoritative
- Currency
Library Resources and Google
If you have already searched within some of the library resources, you probably noticed they function a lot differently from search engines like Google.
Library databases are not built like Google, which is a natural language search engine. You have to be very precise and intentional with what language you put into a library database (and a library catalog, for that matter). What results you retrieve from your search are dependent on how precise and relevant the search terms you used, so it is beneficial to take the time to be thoughtful about what terms you use.
See the images below for a better idea about the differences between an open web search engine like Google, its academic cousin Google Scholar, and library databases.
Evaluating a source's quality (the CRAAP Method)
Use the below "CRAAP" criteria to determine if a website is a quality resource and meets you (and your faculty member's) requirements:
Click to view a large version from the UC San Diego Library website.