Articles, Max Pixel CC0.
This list has been reviewed for reliability and minimized bias. However, it never hurts to check for yourself!
It might seem like the easiest thing to find an article in a magazine or newspaper. You just Google it, right?
Well, slow down!
For academic purposes (like writing a paper for class!) it isn't that simple. You need to be able to find credible sources and cite them.
And, if you care at all about being an informed human, there are some skills you will want to pick up for interacting with information online. There is a lot of nonsense out there, often dressed up to look true and reasonable, that you need to be able to recognize and NOT fall for!
On this page we will explore DATABASES and ONLINE NEWS SOURCES. We also know that sometimes you will need to use the open web to find information. In that case, be certain to follow the tabs to EVALUATING INFORMATION and use the tools provided there.
QUESTION: Is a library database the same thing as Google?
ANSWER: They are similar in some ways... and also very different!
Search engines like Google search the web for freely available information. Google can be considered a database since it contains a collection of searchable information. Like a library database, Google contains tons of information. But, in addition to some of the great stuff you can find in databases, it also includes:
Magazines and newspapers have to make money somehow, so they don't usually give all their content away for free online. That's why websites will often only show a headline or part of an article before they ask you to log in. If you haven't purchased a subscription to that website, you are out of luck! Or are you? Databases allow you to access a lot of great stuff that you would normally have to pay for. Part of your tuition for this class pays for the content in the library databases.
You also get results in different ways. Library databases are organized by search terms and keywords. You control the filters, which means you control the results. You may get thousands more results on Google, but a lot of those results are sponsored or promotional - meaning a company is paying Google to make sure they appear at the top of your list. Also, Google tracks your data and gives you information based on your location and your recent search activity. Library databases don't do that.
Despite the fact that the open web has a ton of cool and easily accessible information, it also means a lot of work determining if a source you find there is a.) true, b.) appropriate for academic purposes and c.) the best option for the work you are doing.
| Full text = the WHOLE article (instead of just the summary) |
Consider setting the date to a tighter set of years. |
Source type matters. Select MAGAZINE & NEWSPAPER. |
|||
|
|
|
There are a lot of databases that you could use, but here are two of the best to start with:
