Searching for information online and searching for scientific information are often perceived as opposites in terms of aims and strategies. When you search for information online, the aim is often to find single facts or fragments quickly and easily. When you search for scientific information, the aim is to find all relevant information on a topic, since new research is always based on previous findings. This requires time, accuracy and deeper studies.
Searching for information online differs from searching library resources or licensed databases within the scientific field. Resources in a library database have been described with subject terms in order to make the search easier. In addition, they have passed a quality check, often conducted by experts. Online publishing, however, is open to everyone, which requires you to be alert and critical when searching for information. Online sources and search engines can still be effective tools when searching for scientific information!
