FSTA vs Google Scholar: The Power of Indexing
Description
This article highlights the differences between Google Scholar and FSTA (Food Science and Technology Abstracts) in terms of their search methodologies. Google Scholar searches for exact word matches in queries, making it less effective for researchers using varied terminologies across different languages and cultures. In contrast, FSTA employs a controlled vocabulary thesaurus developed by food science experts, enabling it to aggregate related terms (e.g., "flavour," "flavor," and "taste") into comprehensive search results. This approach allows users to find relevant literature across multiple languages without needing to know all variations of a term. The article emphasizes that FSTA"s indexing methodology significantly enhances the efficiency of literature searches in the food and health sciences, providing access to results in 40 languages and allowing researchers to evaluate titles and abstracts in English before seeking full texts.