ENG152: Database Searching

If you choose an internet search tool like Google, remember that the results that appear at the top of a Google search aren't always the most relevant. Results can appear at the top because:

• The owner of the site has paid for that priority (often as an ad).
• The site has been accessed frequently.
• It's showing you content similar to what you usually interact with or click on. (This is called a filter bubble.)
• Numerous other unknown reasons based on Google's algorithms.

Remember to evaluate all information carefully (even scholarly sources) before you decide to use it for your paper!  Refer to the Evaluating Information for criteria to help you evaluate your sources.

Google Searching

When searching Google, try these search tips for best results:

• Use "quotation marks" for phrase searching (for example, "food insecurity")
• Search a specific domain (for example, food insecurity site:.gov)
• Search a specific site (for example, site:CDC.gov food insecurity)
• Wildcard search: use an asterisk after a root word to bring back results with all variations of the word (for example: motiv* = motivate/s, motivation, motivational)
• Cross search: Google images, news, Scholar, videos

A Word About Domains

The website's domain (.com, .edu, .org) is not an indicator of its credibility. The domain only tells you what kind of website it is: commercial, education, non-profit (possibly). Remember to evaluate the source based on the information it contains, not by the URL.

A website that ends in .gov (government website) is always considered authoritative, but you should still evaluate it to make sure it meets your information need.