Answered By: Russell Perry
Last Updated: Jun 14, 2023     Views: 488

Google and Wikipedia are useful tools to start looking for information, but they can present real problems for your research projects. 
 
Google is a go-to website for many people starting their research, but it doesn’t always return relevant or correct information. Google doesn’t verify the truth or accuracy of its results, and the https://backlinko.com/google-ranking-factors site's ranking factors can promote less-useful or less-credible results over more reliable ones. 
 
Wikipedia is another popular resource, acting as an encyclopedia to provide helpful overviews on many topics. However, it should also be treated with caution. Despite Wikipedia’s content guidelines and frequent updates, there's still room for misinformation, errors, or bias. If you’re browsing a Wikipedia entry, check the cited sources listed at the bottom of the page to see where the author found their information. It’s worth evaluating these cited sources before using that material for your research.
 
Unlike Google and Wikipedia results, library-accessible journals and databases have been reviewed by experts to ensure that their content is accurate and up to date. You can explore these verified resources through https://libguides.uml.edu/ the Library’s Subject Guides or browse our https://libguides.uml.edu/az.php recommended databases by subject

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