5-Search Tools

After reading the sections of this chapter, you should be able to answer the following questions:

  • When should you use a library catalog instead of an internet browser to search for sources?
  • What is interlibrary loan (ILL)? How is this helpful to your research?
  • What kinds of sources can you find through Google Scholar? Do you have free access to all of your search results?
  • How does Google Scholar help you find library sources?
  • When should you use a specialized database?
  • How is subject heading searching more precise than keyword searching?
  • When should you use a web search engine to search for sources?
  • What are some common search tools you can use with web search engines and the library catalog?

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Choosing & Using Sources: A Guide to Academic Research Copyright © 2015, 2020 by Teaching & Learning, Ohio State University Libraries is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.