Online Research

Databases - see what we have at Beaver and through a BPL eCard.
Best for serious research and assignments requiring trustworthy sources, citation support.

• Pros:

  • High-quality, reliable, and peer-reviewed sources

  • Free access to academic journals, magazines, encyclopedias

  • Ideal for school projects and research papers

• Cons:

  • May be harder to search if you're not used to it

  • Not everything is written for a student audience

  • You may need a BPL ecard for access 

Search Engines (like Google, Bing, etc.)
Best for Quick look-ups, finding credible websites, images, videos, news articles

• Pros:

  • Fast & easy to use

  • Access to a wide range of websites

  • Great for current news, general info, or finding specific sites

  • You choose the sources

• Cons:

  • Results can be biased, inaccurate, or overwhelming

  • Ads & sponsored results appear first

  • Requires careful source evaluation

Generative AI (like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, etc.)
Best for understanding complex topics, getting a first draft, idea generation

• Pros:

  • Summarizes info in plain language

  • Great for brainstorming, explanations, or quick overviews

  • Some tools (like Perplexity) link to sources (see more about Perplexity below)

• Cons:

  • May give outdated or incorrect info based on the data they’ve been trained on. What the training data is, who collected it and how are not always clear which can result in biased responses.

  • Don’t always link to a source, so you should fact-check separately.

  • Can 'sound right' but be wrong

What is a search engine?
A search engine is a website that helps you find information on the internet. You type in keywords or questions, and it shows you links to websites, videos, articles, and images that match your search.

Commonly used search engines:

• Google – The most popular search engine worldwide.

• Bing – Microsoft’s search engine, often used on school computers.

• Yahoo – Older but still used by some people.

• DuckDuckGo – Known for protecting your privacy and not tracking your searches.

• Kiddle – A kid-friendly search engine powered by Google, with filtered results.

These can be two helpful "stepping stones" in your research process. Make sure to check in with your teacher about these resources (and others) that they do (or do not) want you to use. 

What is Wikipedia?
Wikipedia is a free, online encyclopedia that anyone can read — and even edit. It contains millions of articles on topics ranging from science and history to pop culture and current events. It’s written and updated by volunteers around the world, not by a single organization or expert group.

• Pros:

  • Think of it as a “stepping stone” source and a great starting point for research

  • Content is often easy to understand and is available in many languages

  • Many articles include sources and references you can check

  • It’s continuously being updated

• Cons:

  • Since anyone can edit it, some information may be inaccurate or biased

  • Most teachers do not accept Wikipedia as a final source

What is Perplexity?
Perplexity is a generative AI platform that answers your questions in a clear, conversational way—similar to ChatGPT—but with a strong focus on real-time research and citation of sources. It combines the power of AI with live access to the internet, giving you answers that are more current and directly linked to sources, like news sites, research papers, and trusted websites.

• Pros:

  • Provides quick, readable summaries in response to questions

  • Cites sources right in the answer

  • Helps you understand complex topics and can answer follow-up questions you have (like having a conversation)

  • No account is required to use the basic version

• Cons:

  • You must be 13 years or older to use the service.

  • It’s AI so it can make mistakes or simplify things too much

  • It doesn’t always include every possible perspective or source

  • You should ALWAYS double-check facts using other trusted sources

Google now shows a feature called the “AI Overview” (sometimes called a Search Generative Experience) at the top of some search results. It gives you a quick answer, similar to what ChatGPT might say.

Is it reliable?

• • It can be useful for quick overviews, but it’s not always 100% accurate. 

  • Sometimes, AI summaries make mistakes or pull info from sources that aren’t credible (including other AI generated overviews!). 

  • Always scroll down and:

    • Look at actual website links.

    • Check who wrote the original information.

    • Never rely on AI summaries alone for school projects!

What does it mean that my research is credible?
A credible search result is one that comes from a trustworthy, accurate, and reliable source. This usually means the information is written by experts, is up to date, is backed by evidence, and comes from well-known source. Credible results do their best to avoid bias and give clear, factual information.

How do I check if my research is credible:

• Check the author: is the person or organization behind the information an expert?

  • Don’t trust the source to tell you whether or not it’s reliable - GO OUTSIDE the source to learn more about it

  • In a search engine (like Google), type the source website address and wikipedia into the search bar (Ex: https://www.nytimes.com/ wikipedia) to get more information about the source

    • Does the information match who the sources say they are?

    • What is their reputation?

    • Do they have expertise/experience that makes them credible?

• Look at the website: 

  • Is it a trust site (does the url address end with .edu, .gov, or .org)? Be cautious about blogs, forums, or personal websites.

  • Note: today anyone can often purchase any url address, so just because the site ends with .edu doesn't 100% guarantee that it comes from a credible educational site.

• Check the date: is the information current?

• Cross-check the information:

  • Lateral reading is when you find the same information on multiple trustworthy websites.

  • Add “fact check” to your search

  • Scan through a range of results to get a sense of the overall picture

• Watch out for bias: is the source trying to sell you something or push an opinion?

There's SO MUCH information online, how can you narrow your search?

• Think about what your answer looks like:

  • Who is interested in this topic?

  • What words would you use to describe it, and what words would trusted sources use?

  • Where would trusted sources share this information?

  • Why would someone use one format or another to communicate this information?

  • How will you know when you have found what you want?

• Create a broad list of Search Terms: 

  • These are words people who are interested in/passionate about your topic use when discussing it.

  • Use a “stepping stone” source (ex: Wikipedia or Encyclopedia Britannica) to find search terms

  • Search terms will vary based on the perspective/bias of the source

  • Beware of false synonyms! For example, “refugee” and “immigrant” are not terms that are used interchangeably.

• Use Specific Keywords

  • Focus on a small number of unique words, mostly nouns

  • Example: Instead of 'climate change', try 'climate change effects on Arctic wildlife 2024'

• Use Context Terms:

  • This is a word in your search that is not part of the topic, but clarifies the KIND of result you want.

    • Describe the kind of source you are looking for (ex: report, map, graph, book, timeline)

    • Would appear in the title, caption, tags or other text on the page

• Use Advanced Search Features:

  • Note that advanced search looks different in each platform and database!

  • Advanced Search Strategies (slides): Learn more about context terms, advanced Google and database searches.

Google Search for Beginners:
Learn more strategies from Google in this 45-60min online course with videos and hands-on activities.

What is a specialized search tool and why would I use it?
Specialized search tools are helpful because they let you find more specific, accurate, or in-depth information than a regular search engine. They’re designed for different types of research—like academic papers, historical trends, data sets, or images—so you can get results that are more focused, credible, and relevant to your project or question.

Dataset Search: 

• Use this to find and download datasets from across the web. 

• It’s especially useful for science, math, social studies, or any project where you want to analyze real-world data.

Google Scholar:

• A powerful tool for finding academic journals, scholarly articles, and research papers. 

• Use this tool for deeper, more credible sources—just note that not everything is free to read.

Google Trends: 

• Explore how popular certain search terms are over time and by location. It’s helpful for current events projects, persuasive writing, or studying public interest in a topic.

Ngram Viewer:

• This tool lets you chart how often words or phrases appear in books from 1500 to 2019, helping you explore how language, ideas, or topics have changed over time. 

• It’s great for research in history, literature, or cultural studies.

Reverse Image Search: 

• Upload a photo to search for where it appears online, including related images or information. 

• This can help verify sources, track image origins, or find similar visuals for a project.