Abstract
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 8-17 |
| Journal | Journal of Academic Librarianship |
| Volume | 43 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 27 Dec 2016 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 31 Jan 2017 |
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Keywords
- Academic librarianship
- Bibliographic databases
- Google Scholar
- Health research
- Literature searching
- Social care research
- Systematic searching
- Web search engines
Cite this
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Will Web Search Engines Replace Bibliographic Databases in the Systematic Identification of Research? / Bates, Jessica; Best, Paul; McQuilkin, Janice; Taylor, Brian.
Vol. 43, No. 1, 31.01.2017, p. 8-17.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Will Web Search Engines Replace Bibliographic Databases in the Systematic Identification of Research?
AU - Bates, Jessica
AU - Best, Paul
AU - McQuilkin, Janice
AU - Taylor, Brian
N1 - UIR Compliant - evidence uploaded to other files
PY - 2017/1/31
Y1 - 2017/1/31
N2 - The availability of web search engines offers opportunities in addition to those provided by bibliographic databasesfor identifying academic literature, but their usefulness for retrieving research is uncertain. A rigorous literaturesearch was undertaken to investigate whether web search engines might replace bibliographicdatabases, using empirical research in health and social care as a case study. Eight databases and five web searchengines were searched between 20 July and 6 August 2015. Sixteen unique studies which compared at least onedatabase with at least one web search engine were examined, as well as drawing lessons from the authors’ ownsearch process. Web search engines were limited in that the searcher cannot be certain that the principles ofBoolean logic apply and they were more limited than bibliographic databases in their functions, such as exportingabstracts. Recommendations are made for improving the rigour and quality of reporting studies of academic literaturesearching.
AB - The availability of web search engines offers opportunities in addition to those provided by bibliographic databasesfor identifying academic literature, but their usefulness for retrieving research is uncertain. A rigorous literaturesearch was undertaken to investigate whether web search engines might replace bibliographicdatabases, using empirical research in health and social care as a case study. Eight databases and five web searchengines were searched between 20 July and 6 August 2015. Sixteen unique studies which compared at least onedatabase with at least one web search engine were examined, as well as drawing lessons from the authors’ ownsearch process. Web search engines were limited in that the searcher cannot be certain that the principles ofBoolean logic apply and they were more limited than bibliographic databases in their functions, such as exportingabstracts. Recommendations are made for improving the rigour and quality of reporting studies of academic literaturesearching.
KW - Academic librarianship
KW - Bibliographic databases
KW - Google Scholar
KW - Health research
KW - Literature searching
KW - Social care research
KW - Systematic searching
KW - Web search engines
U2 - 10.1016/j.acalib.2016.11.003
DO - 10.1016/j.acalib.2016.11.003
M3 - Article
VL - 43
SP - 8
EP - 17
IS - 1
ER -