What are the disadvantages of a federated search?
A. Some strengths are weaknesses. By presenting the user with one simplified search interface and a simplified way of refining results, a federated search takes away a lot of the control and decision-making that are essential to advanced searches within one particular database. This simplification of search is necessary to connect to resources from different providers. Content providers each have their own way of indexing content and finding a way to connect to all of them (federated search) takes a lowest common denominator approach. You’ll notice that the Databases page provides only 5 indexes and a few limiters. The 5 indexes tend to be the ones that many databases use to index content. Another disadvantage is that such features as personalized accounts and MLA/APA citation generators are unique to particular databases and are unavailable from the Databases page search.
