Library Research Tutorials

Google vs. the Library

Google is a very familiar and easy to use search engine and it can be a good place to start brainstorming research topics. But when it comes to academic research, the library databases are a better tool. This section will review some important concerns about using Google and introduce you to Google Scholar.

You will need to understand the differences between using Google and library databases to know which search engine to use in your research. Review the table below for a brief comparison between the two repositories of information. 

Basic Search Tools

Many of the search tips described in the search strategies section of this module also work with a Google search.

• Boolean Operators: use AND, OR, NOT to either expand or restrict your search results
• "phrase searching": enclose a phrase in quotation marks (" ") to search for a specific phrase and not the individual words
• use the Google Advanced Search option. Yep, it's hidden but Google does have an advanced search option, which allows you to utilize a lot of built-in search tools. 

Domain Searching

Google allows you to restrict to or exclude specific domains from your search results. While a specific domain does not automatically mean a website is credible and authoritative, it can provide contextual clues for the creation of the webpage's information.

Common Internet Domains

• .edu = educational websites (education websites can include student and faculty personal websites)
• .gov = government websites (government websites can include personal websites for politicians)
• .org = organization websites (this does not automatically mean the website or organization is credible, anyone can purchase a .org domain)
• .com = commercial websites (this does not automatically mean the website is not credible)

How to Perform a Domain Search

• site:____ = this will restrict your search results to include results only from the domain you insert on the lined area
• -site:___ = this will exclude webpages from the domain you inserted on the lined area from your search results 
• Examples:
  • site:www.nytimes.com = search results will only come from the NY Times website
  • -site:www.wikipedia.com = search results will exclude webpages from Wikipedia
  • site:.edu = search results will only include webpages from educational sources
  • -site:.gov = search results will exclude government webpages

Google Scholar

Google Scholar is an Internet database that allows you to search for scholarly sources on the Internet and can be a good place to start multidisciplinary research. 

Why use Google Scholar?

1. Language. If I am not getting any results in my library catalog searches but I know that there are sources on my topic, then it's likely that I'm just using the wrong search terms. Sometimes if you use those same search terms in Google Scholar, related articles will appear in the search results. While I can look at those articles, I would also note the keywords in the titles and abstracts. It's a good way to find out what terms professionals are using to write about your topic.
2. Citation Mining. Google Scholar has a "Cited By" link for most of their results. You can follow these links to see who in their database has cited a specific material. This is a great way to "mine" additional research and discover how professionals responded or reacted to a source. Once you click the "Cited By" link, you can even search within those results for items more specific to your needs.

Accessing Items through Google Scholar

If you click on an article or book from your search results page, Google Scholar will either bring you to a free copy published online or directly to the publisher's website. This website will ask you to pay to access the material. Do not ever purchase articles. Instead you can do one of two things:

1. Copy and paste the article's title and author into the library catalog search. It is very likely that the library has already paid for access to this item. If the item isn't in the library catalog, go to the Interlibrary Loan page and request the item for free. Don't pay for something if the library can get it for you for free.
2. If you are accessing Google Scholar while logged into your @myci google account, your search results will be linked to Broome Library's catalog. Simply look for and select the "Get it @ Broome Library" link located to the right of an item.

Pros and Cons of using Google Scholar

As with all Internet resources there are some important pros and cons to keep in mind when using Google Scholar.

Advantages of Google Scholar

• Google Scholar is a familiar and easy to use search interface.
• Google Scholar searches the Internet for a wide range of materials (articles, books, chapters, conference proceedings, syllabi…).
• Google Scholar’s “Related Articles” and “Cited By” tools can help you find other helpful materials (remember citation mining).
• If you click directly on a article link, Google Scholar will bring you to the 

Disadvantages of Google Scholars

• Google Scholar searches across the whole Internet and your search results will include many results irrelevant to your topic.
• Google Scholar has very few limiters compared to library databases, most importantly there is no way to limit your results to only scholarly, peer-reviewed materials.
• Google Scholar uses the standard Google algorithms to “optimize” your search results based upon your search history, location, and other variables, which may influence your search results and contribute to confirmation bias.
• Google Scholar does not notify you if an article has been updated or retracted

Reverse Image Search

Images are often posted online outside of their original context, leading to misinformation and incorrect research. While this isn't a perfect tool, a reverse image search has Google search the internet for an image you've selected. This can help you find the original source or approximate date for when the image was first published.

How to Perform a Reverse Image Search on your Computer

• On your computer, go to the Chrome browser.
• Go to the website with the image you want to use.
• Right-click the image.
• Click Search Image with Google Lens to display results in a sidebar.

Credit: These steps were taken directly the Google Search Help article, "Search with an image on Google".  See this page for more instructions on how to perform a reverse image search on an android device, iPhone, or iPad.