| Google Scholar | Library databases | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| + | Easy to use. | – | Not so easy to use. Learning how to use a database takes some time. |
| – | Basic search functionality. Google Scholar often returns a massive number of results, but with few effective filtering options, resulting in limited control over your searches. | + | Extensive search functionality. Databases return a manageable number of results for similar searches, and their many advanced filter options offer maximum control over your searches. |
| – | Compiled by a web crawler that searches content available on the surface web – that is, publicly accessible websites and sources. | + | Compiled by information professionals who carefully select and organize high-quality content from both the surface web and the deep web. |
| – | No helpful details about the publications (e.g., subject-related terms such as subjects, descriptors or keywords) are provided. | + | Additional details are provided for each publication (e.g., database-specific terms such as subjects, descriptors, or keywords, which are assigned by subject experts). |
| – | Google Scholar's crawlers can be fooled, resulting in unreliable materials being indexed (e.g., articles from predatory journals). | + | Only credible materials are indexed, as subject experts review the content who are not easily misled. |
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