One year ago we published on our German service side an explanation video about databases and what is the principle behind them. We used this video to explain our job as an information professional and expert in searching specialised databases in different business fields. Databases have a hard way to communicate their advantages against search engines. Explanation videos can be a helpful way to communicate online.
Using the title “What Are Databases and Why You Need Them” the “Yavapai College Library” (Prescott, Arizona) made a very good job with this simple but very helpful explain video.
The story of the video explains the problem by using free search engines on the web. A lot of hits are the results of simple keyword searches. The next problem are the sources which in this result lists. Many free and open sources where the quality and correctness of the information is not exactly to measure.
The video explains that databases are providing many information from authors and publishers who are not giving the information for free into the web. Databases can help to search in these sources using different techniques to restrict a mass of information hits.
Video Transscript: Databases – why do you need them
„Hello – I am Bud. I am want to show you why you need library databases for research.
By now almost everyone is familiar with searching the web. But you have ever stopped for thinking what you are searching? Google, Bing and Yahoo only give you free access what companies and people have made available to the public. This is great, if you shopping or browsing movie trailers. But it is limited when you need information for research.
Unfortunately unlimted access to reliable information is restricted, because many publishers want to be paid. They won´t give free access to their copyrighted content.
A good idea is not enough – plan your explain video with an detailed script
On the web everyone can create a website on any subject whether they are an authority or not. No one is policing the web. This makes it hard to find credible information which is important if you are doing research.
Although search engines give you millions of results for each search and only give you a few options to narrow it down. So it´s hard to scan the results and find the exact information your are looking for.
Now let me tell you about databases. Databases allow you to find information not freely available on the web. These such thousands of articles and books. You can also find images, charts and primary sources.
Some cover a range of topics. Others are mor focussed on specific subjects such as literature, education or controversial issues. You want to choose a database based on your research topic. The articles in databases are from popular magazines, newspapers, trade journals and inside a ???. You also find scarly and courated articles. They have been chosen, because they are been written by credible authors, such as journalists, researchers andexperts in their fields.
Just like when you search the web you get still lots of results. However databases give you more control over your results with powerfull search tools. Some will suggest additional keywords to use to narrow down their topic. You can further refine your results by limting to a date range, publication type and fulltext. Once you find a whortwile article a formated citations often available to copy and paste into your paper.
Library databases are filled with credible content and give you powerfull search tools to find relevant results.When you search a databases instead of the web you will spend less time searching and find better information to support your research.“
Some Facts about the Video
The explanation video of the Yavapai College Library Library (Length 2:48 min) is on the road of success. More than 84.000 views counts the YouTube counter (Exactly 84.827 / Jul-22-2015)
Do you have questions in using professionals databases to solve your information needs. The infobroker services team has access to thousands of specialised databases. As an Information Professionals we can serve your requests easily. Using our contact page for your request. We would be glad to help you.
