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As the school publication, it’s important for articles to be factual and credible. Why would anyone read a paper that doesn’t have proof of facts nor reliable sources? When writing to inform, it’s important to know what sources you should include in your article, as well as how to cite them as evidence.
Before all that...
Before all that...
It is a virtue of a journalist to write an article that is unbiased, or clouded by a writer’s opinion. Keep this in mind when you’re writing hard news articles or events reports, and look for sources that provide factual information. If possible, you can include a statement or two on the two different sides of a topic to shed light on an argument.
If you are writing a more opinionated article, you should focus on looking for reliable sources that back up your claim and give out reasonable and relevant information.
What are sources?
What are sources?
An information source is a source of information for somebody. It communicates knowledge for somebody to use. Sources can be found in text or images, live interviews, videos, and anywhere information can be found. They provide evidence to something and can be used as a way to explain or prove something, further an argument, and more.
As a journalist, it is your responsibility to dig deep into your research to make a well-rounded, thorough but concise article. There are many types of sources. Knowing them and using them well can make your article feel researched and reliable.
Primary Sources
Primary Sources
These are the original pieces of information that represent unfiltered ideas or experiences. In research, they're artifacts, records, or documents made as close to the original event as possible. Think of a diary of a soldier in the first World War, or a testimony made by a competitor in the most recent competition. As a journalist, you may also get this kind of source through interviews.
Secondary Sources
Secondary Sources
These are one step away from a primary source. They are documents whose content is based on primary sources. They compile, paraphrase, or synthesize the information found in primary sources. Examples of secondary sources are news articles! They condense information that was uncovered by interviews or research, and reword this research to be read for convenience.
Tertiary Sources
Tertiary Sources
This is information based on a collection of both primary and secondary sources. In other words, they are a summary of collected information. Examples of them are textbooks, dictionaries, and encyclopedias.
Although these three types of information may have distinctions between them, it doesn't mean a resource must be a primary source alone. There are times when the distinctions blur, and secondary sources can have aspects of a primary source. Think of a magazine column that rehashes an event, but includes a bonus interview with the host.
You'll find that these kinds of things really blur together at times. What's important, though, is how you use this information in your article. It's important to always look for primary sources when you’re writing news articles, because firsthand comments are important resources to an event.
How do I begin?
How do I begin?
You have a topic, and you know what kind of resources you're looking for. Now, you have to research further. Here are a few tips to help you:
1. Look for Searchable Key Terms Online
1. Look for Searchable Key Terms Online
Take a step back from your topic to look for key elements and important words that relate to your topic. Aim to make your statement specific in order to find resources that are important to your article.
Example:
Palm oil industry
Palm oil industry environment
Palm oil industry Malaysia and environment
2. Dig for Primary Sources or Reliable Resources
2. Dig for Primary Sources or Reliable Resources
Typing your query into Google will be bound to give you a thousand results. This might overwhelm you! Focus on looking for sources or documents made by experts in your topic.
Organizations or individuals who specialize in, for example, the environmental impact on palm oil might have important information written on their website, or have recently said something to a newspaper. Make sure to check these recent resources out, because they're relevant and up-to-date.
3. Don't wander!
3. Don't wander!
It's a common mistake to search for things you may think is related to your topic that will end up making you spiral down a websearch rabbit hole. Always be aware of your topic and your goals, and don't stray too far away from them! Looking at a wrong term or an unrelated topic will only get in the way of your research, so focus is key.
If needed, time yourself. One of our writers took an internship at a news site and their supervisor challenged them to only take 30-45 minutes to research or find all the resources they needed for their article.
Citing Sources
Citing Sources
Be it an academic essay or a newspaper article, it's important to cite your sources. Why? Because as the school paper, you have to show readers that you are a credible and trustworthy source of information. What would be the point of reading your article if it's untrue or gives baseless "facts?"
That doesn't mean that news articles have to have a bibliography in the end. Instead, you have to cite your sources in the text of the article. Here are a few examples:
"According to Dr. Smith of John Hopkins University..."
"... which was found in the research of done by Yale University last 2018"
"... says the basketball player, Stephen Curry."
Summary
Summary
In this short chapter, you learned the different types of sources (primary, secondary, and tertiary) and the importance of these sources in your article. You also has a short primer on researching for your articles.
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