You have a research project assigned for one of your classes.
You think, "I'll have to find some articles for this. Where should I start looking? Hummm... the Internet!!"
Next, you open a browser and "Google" your search.
more timely, and less costly research results?
Using the library's databases is THE place to start!
Why? Why not just use the Internet, then you don't have to figure out how to use the databases or anything?
Because there is a better way...
The FAQ page from the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University has the answers to that and these same (slightly altered) answers apply to the library at Tarleton State.
Use the chart below to quickly compare library databases to the world wide web.
| Library Databases | The Internet |
| Paid for by the library so that you can have free access to scholarly information. | Some resources are free, but others require you to pay for them. |
| Content is evaluated for authority and accuracy. | Information is not evaluated for accuracy and may be incorrect, misleading, or biased. |
| Information is stable. | Websites come and go. |
| Through Subject Research Guides it is easy to find databases that relate specifically to your topic (and get connected to an expert if you need guidance). | The internet is a vast sea of information with no organization. |
| Library databases offer options to quickly limit or expand your search to find the articles you need. | A search engine (like Google) often returns an overwhelming number of results with no quick way to narrow them down or ensure they relate to your topic. |
In short, you should use library databases in order to quickly find relevant scholarly information that you can use in research papers or other course projects. We also have several library databases that include music, videos, and art! Take a look and you're sure to find something that relates to you!
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