Library vs. Google
The Library
Library resources are carefully evaluated by librarians for things like credibility, relevance, and value.
Discover@MSU is the library’s version of a search engine; it simultaneously gathers results from most of MSU’s databases and MSU's book catalog.
Use Discover@MSU to:
- Find articles in scholarly, peer-reviewed journals
- Find articles in magazines and newspapers
- Obtain full text of a specific article when you know its title
- Find books and eBooks on your topic
- Gather background information on a topic
- Find streaming media on your topic
Information found on Google does not always go through a consistent review process. Anyone can publish to the web, which makes it hard to determine credibility, relevance, and value.
You may also be asked to pay for information (like newspaper, magazine, and journal articles) you find using Google.
Use Google or another non-library search engine to:
- Find information on specific non-profits, corporations, or other organizations
- Find current information, such as news, weather, and stock quotes
- Research a well-known event or individual
- Find online job postings, shopping auctions, or travel services
Assessing the Credibility of Websites
The domain suffix of a website (the postscript at the end of a web address) can be a good indicator of the the website's authority and accuracy.
Best Options for Academic Writing
.gov = Governmental agency
.org = Organization (may be charitable, religious, or a lobbying group)
.edu = Higher education
.mil = Military site
Carefully Evaluate before Using
.net = Internet service provider
.com = Commercial site
Proceed with Extreme Caution
.info = Information site (UNREGULATED)
~ = Personal site -- Remember: There is no domain owner or publisher vouching for the information on personal pages.
Research Scenarios
Research Scenarios
Different research scenarios are described below. The ♦ indicates which tool(s) will get you to the information most efficiently.
| What are you looking for? | Discover@MSU | Library Databases & Other Resources | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A scholarly article written by an expert in your area of study |
♦ | ♦ (All databases) |
|
| An article from the Wall Street Journal |
♦ |
♦ (Wall Street Journal individual account) (Global Newsstream) |
|
| An article from Newsweek | ♦ (Advanced search) |
♦ (Academic Search Complete) |
|
| Today’s news | ♦ | ||
| Older news | ♦ | ♦ (Global Newsstream) |
♦ |
| A government report | ♦ (Advanced search) |
♦ (GovInfo) |
|
| An annual report for a company | ♦ (Business Insights: Essentials) (Mergent Online) |
♦ | |
| A definition of a word | ♦ (Oxford English Dictionary) |
♦ | |
| A movie review | ♦ | ||
| A biography | ♦ | ♦ (Biography Reference Bank) |
|
| Today’s stock quotes | ♦ (Google Finance) |
||
| Maps and directions | ♦ | ||
| Statistical facts and data | ♦ (Statistical Abstract of the United States) |
||
| A coding tutorial | ♦ | ♦ | |
| A law review | ♦ | ♦ (Nexis Uni) |
|
| A scholarly book | ♦ (Limit results to Garnett Library Books) |
♦ (eBook Collection - Academic) (JSTOR) (Salem Press) |