Web Search Tools

Research

Contact Information

Mahoney Library

 

Saint Elizabeth University
2 Convent Road
Morristown, NJ 07960

Ask A Librarian

Phone:
Main Desk: (973) 290-4237

Library Hours:
Mon-Fri 8am to 12am
Sat, Sun 2pm to 12am

Library services will be unavailable/closed:

  • Monday, Sept. 2, 2024
  • Monday, Oct. 14, 2024
  • Wednesday, Nov. 28 through Friday, Nov. 29, 2024

Academic Search Tools

Google Scholar (sign-in allows you to connect to full text in library databases)

  • Google Scholar searches scholarly content on the web, including journal articles, conference papers, technical reports, dissertations, court cases and legal documents.
  • Full text is not always available for free. If you use the link provided above, you'll be able to link through to full text when it is available in a subscribed collection. If you there isn't full text access to an article, fill out an Interlibrary Loan Article request and our ILL staff will work to get the article for you.
  • Google Scholar helps you identify prominent articles by listing the number of times each article has been cited (the higher the number, the more important the work).

Standard Search Engines

Specialized Search Engines

  • Wolfram Alpha - get factual answers or do calculations, conversions
  • Qwant - results from web, news, knowledge graph, (pulled from Wikipedia), social media, & shopping
  • Good Search - each search earns you a penny toward a charity of your choice

Meta Search Engines

Browser Download & Set Up

Go Back in Time

  • WayBack Machine
    Type in a URL and view how a site looked at various points in time.
  • Search Engine History, 1945-today
    From pre-web conceptualizations of search to the development of the 1990s, to directories and meta search engines, to search engine optimization and advertising ... learn how search has evolved into what you see today.

Search Tips

Keep In Mind:

  1. Not everything is online
  2. Always use more than one search tool. No search engine (or database)will have everything you need.
  3. Try different search terms and combinations
  4. Visualize how the information might be phrased in the document you hope to find and let that guide your search terms
  5. Use the limit options available (advanced search screen). This will give you more accurate results
  6. If you know an organization that publishes on your topic, limit your results to that organization's website
  7. Always examine more than just the first few results
  8. If you're not familiar with your topic, try an encyclopedia or reference site first, rather than going right to a web search
  9. Never pay for any content without checking with the library first