Library databases often function differently from internet search engines.
| Internet Search Engines | Library Databases |
|---|---|
| Accept natural language searching and try to interpret meaning | Match search terms to the terms used in an article or used to describe an article |
| Automatically search for synonyms and related terms | Synonyms and related terms must be specified in the search |
| Use several factors to rank results, including relevance, popularity, and where search terms appear | Usually rank results based on one factor but the user can select and change how results are ranked |
