StaySmart

Choose information that matches your topic

Selecting the best search tools will help you find the best information.

Google is popular; but for your assignments, you are expected to use Summon and subscription databases, which are more suitable for academic research.

Activity: compare your search results

Search in Summon and Google using topic keywords from your assignment:

Note some of the differences, and type two of your reflections below:

Summon	Google
Able to access the full text of scholarly articles and ebooks using UOW username and password	Full text items available, but often asks for payment for journal articles and ebooks
Has useful academic results for assignments, but concentrates on written content	Able to access images and good background information (remember to consider copyright!)
Results found are easier to refine to scholarly or peer reviewed	Found useful results, but not easy to identify if scholarly or peer reviewed
Options for refining search (for example content type, subject area, date.)	Results screen is clear and simple to navigate but it is not easy to refine your search
Summon links through to textbooks and recommended Readings	The quickest way to find information to get started
Easy to see date of publication of article or book	Sometimes hard to verify when web page was created or written