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Database vs. Website
It is okay to Google your topic and explore the search results. Be sure to use the sources created by people who know what they are talking about or have relevant evidence to support their claims. Not sure what the differences are between a website and a database?
Websites
- Access is free. No one is paying for the content.
- Anyone can publish a website. The information included might not verified by anyone.
- Must examine with a critical eye!
Databases
- Paid for by the library
- Include sources written by professors, scholars and journalists whose articles were previously published in print.
- Authority of information is verified by database editors whose job is to make sure that they offer quality content, otherwise they will lose customers.
The Bottom Line Difference
Most likely you will find helpful information in both websites and databases. The main difference is that when you use websites, YOU must be the one to confirm that the information is coming from a reliable. Ask these questions before you use website information:
- WHO wrote the information?
- If it's a personal author, what are his or her credentials?
- WHAT company publishes the website?
- Read the "Mission Statement" or "About Us" page.
- It's okay to look at the ".com, .org, .edu" extensions, but those don't tell a complete story or let you know definitively whether or not a site is reliable. It's more important to read about the company or organization to find out who they are and why they are putting out information.
- WHEN was the information published and Is it relevant to your search?