Merriam Webster defines a database as "a usually large collection of data organized especially for rapid search and retrieval (as by a computer)" (Database).
The LMC gains access to a variety of databases through partnerships with local education agencies and public libraries to ensure the students and teachers of Urbandale High School have access to the highest quality information for learning. Databases are a designed to provide a large amount of authoritative information to support the learning of students through inquiry. In most cases databases provide faster access to the best information available without having to evaluate the source for reliability.
Why are databases sometimes better than a search engine?
A search engine, like Google search, is "a computer program that searches documents, especially on the World Wide Web, for a specified word or words and provides a list of documents in which they are found" (Search Engine). While search engines are wonderful for quick simple searches, databases ensure the results are trustworthy and free of corporate website intending to sell products to the user. Any user can create content for the internet, but databases evaluate and curate resources specifically selected to promote learning and enrichment.
Why are databases password protected?
While the world wide web is currently free to access with a wifi or internet connection, databases must charge subscription fees to maintain and collect the highest quality resources. Due to the expertise and time necessary to maintain a current collection of information, databases tend to be very expensive. As these valuable resources are purchased, they typically require a username and password to access the protected materials.
Citations in Databases:
In the past, regardless of the resource used, students were required to generate a properly formatted citation themselves using style guides and handbooks. With new digital tools and the understanding that plagiarism is less likely if users are given an easy method to cite resources, many databases now provide citations in a variety of styles. Not only does that citation help the user to avoid plagiarism, but it also ensures that intellectual freedom and the ethical sharing of learning takes place.
Please continue to the Britannica Encyclopedia section of this lesson.
Works Cited
"Database." Merriam Webster, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 2019, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/database#other-words. Accessed 12 Feb. 2019.
"The Human Element" Presented by ProQuest. C3 Motion Graphics, 2011. Vimeo, Vimeo, Inc., vimeo.com/13435229. Accessed 12 Feb. 2019.
"Search Engine." Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, LLC, 2019, www.dictionary.com/browse/search-engine. Accessed 12 Feb. 2019.