Google searches the web for content posted on the Internet, usually in the form of websites.
Since anyone post content on the Internet, you'll want to make sure you're using credible websites in your research. (Review the "Evaluating sources" section of this guide to learn how!)
Google Search Tips for Research
Tips covered in the above tutorial include:
Using quotation marks " " around a phrase to search an exact word order
Using capital OR to search for synonyms or related terms
Using the minus sign - to remove a search term
Using site: to search within a website or top-level domain
Helpful Google Research Tools
Google Books: Use Google Books to browse portions of electronic books found on the open web.
Google Images: Use Google Images to find images, charts, graphs, and statistics. Don't forget to cite the original source!
Google Scholar: Use Google Scholar to find peer-reviewed scholarly articles on the open web. Check our Google Scholar guide to see how to incorporate our library database links!
One of the longest running architectural magazines in the U.S., Architectural Record was founded in 1891 and offers news & commentary about noteworthy architectural works. Its "Buildings by Type" project features detailed case studies of buildings of various kinds, including photos, drawings, specifications, descriptions, and design solutions.
Building Technology Heritage Library is searchable collection of architectural trade catalogs, house plan books, and technical building guides published prior to 1964. These primary documents provide insight into historical design and construction practices.
The University of Washington's Cities and Buildings Database collects digitized images of cities and buildings from around the world for use by the academic community. Search by city, country, style, architect, date of construction, and more.
Organized by the Society of Architectural Historians, SAH Archipedia is a free online encyclopedia containing histories, photographs, and maps of more than 20,000 buildings, artworks, monuments, and other architectural projects from across the United States.
ARCAT is a directory of detailed information (including CAD, BIM, and specifications) about a wide variety of building products as well as manufacturer catalogs, green reports, and more.
Sweets provides detailed information about a wide variety of building materials. You can search by product category, manufacturer, and/or keyword to find product information from multiple manufacturers in one location.
