Academics & So Much More! Blog - Research Guides at Tidewater Community College

So you’ve got a research paper due. Do you:

A) Type your topic into Google and hope for the best?
B) Head to the library (or its website) and tap into a goldmine of scholarly resources?

Let’s break it down:

🔍 Google: The Fast Food of Research

Quick and easy, but not always nutritious.
You’ll find something—but is it credible?
Ads, blogs, and Wikipedia might sneak into your citations (yikes!).

📚 The Library: The Gourmet Buffet

Peer-reviewed articles, academic journals, ebooks, and expert help.
Access to databases like JSTOR, ProQuest, and more. TCC Libraries offers many databases to help with all your research need! Be sure to check out our A to Z Databases for all your research need.
Librarians = your personal research coaches. Access to a Librarian in-person and online. If you need help with research after closing, be sure to check out Ask a Librarian!

🎯 The Verdict:
Google is great for getting started, but the library is where your paper levels up. Use both—but lean on the library when it’s time to get serious, cite right, and impress your professor.

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Explore Indigenous Peoples of North America Database

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📝 Writing a Research Paper: Google vs. The Library Showdown

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