ENGL 2322 | Early British Literature

Databases

-Require a subscription.  You have already paid for access by enrolling at San Jacinto College.

-Content is reviewed and organized by vendors, publishers, and information architects. 

-Information is stable and accessible on a consistent basis.

-Utilize a working knowledge of controlled vocabulary or search terms.

-Approved for research use by librarians and professors!

Google

-Free!!! (Subsidized by ads and other forms of revenue).

-No review or standards with regard to content or purpose.

-Information: there is a lot of it, and it is unorganized.

-Information is unstable; locations are subject to frequent change.

-Searches using natural language, it even tries to guess what you are looking for!

-Does have "advanced search" and scholarly features that allow users to refine search results!

Google can be a great way to find information, so long as you search smartly. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your Google searches: 

• Use "site:" to limit to a particular site or domain. For example, site:nationalgeographic.com will search for pages on the National Geographic site while site:.org will search all websites and pages that have a .org domain name. 
• Use quotation marks around exact phrases. For example, "red breasted robin" will return fewer (and more useful) results than the same phrase without quotes.
• Use - to exclude terms from your search. For example, -pinterest will remove all of the pinterest sites and pins from your results. 
• For more search tips ask a librarian! 

CRAAP is an acronym for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. Use the CRAAP Test to evaluate your sources.

Currency: the timeliness of the information

• When was the information published or posted?
• Has the information been revised or updated?
• Is the information current or out-of date for your topic?
• Are the links functional?   

Relevance: the importance of the information for your needs

• Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
• Who is the intended audience?
• Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?
• Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?

Authority: the source of the information

• Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
• What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations?
• Is there contact information, such as a publisher or e-mail address?
• Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source?
  •  Keep in mind, while .gov websites are restricted to U.S. governmental organizations, anyone can purchase any other domain types. Even .edu domains aren't always trustworthy.

Accuracy: the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content

• Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
• Can you verify any of the information in another source?
• Does the language or tone seem biased and free of emotion?
• Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors?

Purpose: the reason the information exists

• What is the purpose of the information? to inform? teach? sell? entertain? persuade?
• Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
• Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
• Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases?