JOSHUA VOSSLER: Google is a lie. And like the best lies, it's comforting. It tells us things we wish were true. And it's not just Google lying to you. It's all of those freely available search engines, every one of them a filthy, filthy liar. What's the lie? It's research can be simple and easy. I wish. Research is difficult. It takes time and effort and skill. And if it doesn't, you're doing it wrong, and your results aren't going to be good. 

See this nice simple search box? It's a lie by design, meant to draw you in, so simple and friendly. And come on, we all know the results it gives us are only pretty good at best. But if that's the case, then why do we all use it? Why am I using it right now? [SIGHS] Because of how our brains work. 

When faced with a problem, our brains are wired to look for a solution only until we find something that seems good enough, not perfect, and then we quit. And for many of life's problems, that's an efficient strategy. Google is good enough for quick answers to questions we ask on a daily basis, like how long do I boil an egg? Or how do I pronounce-- ah, Quetzalcoatl. 

But good enough isn't always good enough. When you're doing academic research, you don't need good enough information. You need the best. And sorry, not sorry, that rules out Google because it's incomplete. It only provides access to what's available on the free web, all the stuff online that you don't have to pay for. But like most things in the 21st century, if you want the best stuff, it costs money. And that means library databases, not Google. 

And your library subscribes to them, paying hundreds of thousands of dollars per year so you can access them for free. Library databases are online services that provide full text, immediate access to millions of scholarly articles, the best information available to humanity. They work like Netflix or Disney+, but instead of video, library databases provide access to articles. 

Another nice thing about library databases is they don't lie to you like Google does. They present research in all of its glorious and frustrating complexity, and that means there's a learning curve. Their interfaces are complicated and vary from database to database, with multiple search boxes, dropdown menus, and various buttons and sliders. I know, ew. The truth ain't always pretty, but at least it's the truth. 

Library databases are to Google what a big fancy interchangeable lens camera is to your phone's camera. Your phone is good enough for selfies and cute kitty videos, but if you want the best photos, you need a serious pro-level camera. Yeah, it's way more complicated than your phone's camera, and it takes time to learn, but it gives you tremendous control over your photography. 

Same deal with library databases. To use them properly, you have to learn the interfaces and understand academic research techniques. But it's worth the effort. Because once you have the skills, you can quickly locate large numbers of relevant scholarly articles, articles you wouldn't have otherwise had access to, which will help you throughout your academic career and beyond. 

Want to learn more? Ask a librarian. We can show you everything you need to know about this stuff.