Where to search
Not all search tools are created equal, so choosing the right one can save you time and help you discover the best resources for your assignment.
Choosing the right place to search will save you time and help you find the best resources for your assignment. Your search results will change dramatically depending on where you search. Your results will look very different depending on where you search, so let’s help you choose the best option for your needs.
Where should I search?
What is Library search?
Library search is a powerful search tool that allows you to explore the Library’s entire collection in one place. It's an excellent place to start for general academic research.
What does it search?
- Books and ebooks
- Full-text journal articles
- Theses and dissertations
- Videos and multimedia resources
Why should I use Library search?
- A good starting point for general academic research
- You can search physical and online items
- It has powerful filters so you can refine your search to peer-reviewed items, recently published work or specific topics
- Allows saving, exporting and citing resources
What are the limitations?
- Library search might not include all content from specialised databases
- It's less effective for very specific or technical searches
- Limited grey literature
- The citation function is prone to errors. For referencing help go to FedCite.
Need help searching?
Use the Library search tips Guide to improve your search skills and find resources more effectively.
What are databases?
Subject-specific databases are specialised research tools that focus on a particular academic field, like health, education, engineering or business.
What does it search?
- Journal articles
- Conference papers and proceedings
- Discipline-specific reports
- Ebooks, videos and other media
Why use databases?
They are ideal when you need high-quality, peer-reviewed information that is directly relevant to your topic. Unlike general search tools, these databases are designed with advanced filters and search options that help you dig deeper and find exactly what you need.
What are the limitations?
- You may need to use multiple databases to cover all aspects on your topic
- Interfaces can be more complex than general search tools
- May not include grey literature
- Some databases require you to log in with Federation credentials
Where do I find databases?
Via the A-Z databases list
- Go to A-Z databases to see the full list of library-subscribed databases.
- Select 'Subjects' to filter the list to databases for your subject area.
Via the Subject Guides
Subject Guides are created by librarians who understand your course requirements and research needs. Each guide is tailored to a specific subject area and brings together the most useful tools, links, and advice for that discipline.
Each Subject Guide has a list of recommended databases.
- Go to Subject guides.
- Select your course and browse the recommended databases for your course.
What is Google Scholar?
Google Scholar is a free search engine for finding academic literature across many disciplines. It's a handy tool for discovering academic sources quickly, particularly open-access version of articles.
What can you find in Google Scholar?
- Journal articles
- Theses and dissertations
- Books and book chapters
- Conference papers
- Preprints and citations
Why should I use Google Scholar?
Google Scholar is free and easy to access, covers a wide range of topics and will give you a large number of results. You can also connect Google Scholar to Federation library to access full-text articles.
What are the limitations?
- Not all results are peer-reviewed
- You can't filter for peer-reviewed items
- The built-in citation tool can be inaccurate
- Many articles are behind paywalls so you might miss content from subscription-only databases
Why search Google and the web?
Google and the web is great for finding grey literature. These sources are especially useful when researching current issues, public policy, or real-world practices that may not yet be covered by academic journals.
What can you find on the web?
- Government reports and policy documents
- Guidelines and recommendations
- Statistics and datasets
- Industry publications
- NGO and organisational materials
What are the limitations of searching the web?
- Quality and reliability can vary. Always check the source
- Harder to search systematically compared to databases
- May lack academic depth or peer review
- Some results lists include sponsored advertisements
How do I use Google to find grey literature?
- Use specific keywords. Include terms like report, guidelines, policy, statistics
- Target reliable sources.
- Combine with your topic. Search using google website domains. For example, when searching for government policy documents on climate change between 2020 and 2025: climate change policy site:.gov.au file:pdf daterange:2020-2025
- Evaluate carefully. Use the CRAAP Test to assess credibility.
Google website domains
| Search terms | What does it do? | Example |
| site:.gov.au | Finds Australian government websites | Climate change site:.gov.au |
| site:.edu | Finds educational institution websites | Machine learning site:.edu |
| site:.org | Finds organisational websites | Mental health resources site:.org.au |
| file:pdf | Finds results in PDF format | United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples file:pdf |
| daterange:Year-Year | Finds results within a defined time period | Victorian bail laws daterange:2024-2025 |