When doing a Google search on an academic topic, particularly a more formal one, I have serendipitously discovered a way you can get trustworthy articles and avoid the forbidden Wikipedia (and other similarly “iffy” sources). You simply type your intended query, followed by “.edu.” The quotes are optional but recommended, in order to to optimize your search.
Watch out for the other extreme, though. If you see “Cited by (number)” and/or “Related articles,” these are directed by the branch of Google called “Google Scholar,” home of dry academic papers, many of which you’d fall asleep on page one. (Unless you happened to be a professional in one of those fields.)
Nonetheless, to strike a balance, depending on level of your understanding and scope of the source, this is actually a good method. Great sources, given the “.edu” domain requested, include course pages and department
To sum up:
- Include the “.edu” in your Google query
- Stick with stuff that is not Google Scholar material based on the methods above (unless you really wanted to enter into such territory.)
So, whenever appropriate, you can boldly Google where no other search has gone before!
The Adventures of a Christian Bookworm 