Where does information in the databases come from, and how often is it updated?
Answer
The currency of the information depends on the resource.
- The library selects resources that have been evaluated for their currency and accuracy. That said, it is important to verify this information independently. To learn more about a particular resource, find the “About” link on the homepage of the database (usually at the very top or the very bottom). To learn more about evaluating resources, check our library page here: http://library.uhd.edu/evaluate
- When using tools like Mergent Intellect, Country Watch, and the CIA World Factbook, look for the “last updated” sentence, usually near the beginning of the article or summary. If you think this information might be outdated (for example, if the country is currently experiencing some shift or change), use the news databases to help clarify and verify information you find.
- When using an article database like ABI/INFORM or Business Source Complete, look for the “Sort” option and sort by date to see the most recent information on a topic. How often the database is updated varies from resource to resource.