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WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT:
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT:
Different types of sources have different audiences and purposes, which we talked about in the first two sections of this module. This section will walk you through the most common source types to help you identify them when you do academic research. It will also address how quickly information is processed through various source types, which can be important depending on what kind of research you're doing.
WHAT TO DO:
WHAT TO DO:
Review the detailed information and explanations.
Answer the self-check questions at the end.
Go to Part 3, About Scholarly Journals.
Types of Sources
Types of Sources
There are three main categories of sources: books, periodicals, and websites. Within those broad areas, you will find specific source types. The information below will break those down for you!
Books
Books
A book is a written long-form text on a specific topic or subject that can be published in print, electronic, or web-based form.
What's in It?
What's in It?
Books contain in-depth, detailed coverage of a topic or subject.
Other books, like encyclopedias or dictionaries, give brief information on many subjects. (These rarely make good sources for research papers!)
Who's the Author?
Who's the Author?
Since books can be either popular or scholarly, it depends!
Scholarly books are by experts in the subject. These books are reviewed by experts in the same field ("peer-reviewed") and typically published by university presses.
Popular books can be by anyone with an interest in the subject. They are often proofread by editors but rarely peer-reviewed.
Who's the Audience?
Who's the Audience?
Popular books are written for the general public.
Scholarly books are written for scholars in the same field.
How Long Does it Take to Publish?
How Long Does it Take to Publish?
Typically 1-2 years
Use a Book When You Need:
Use a Book When You Need:
In-depth information about a particular topic
Expert evidence
Basic facts and general overviews, especially in dictionaries and encyclopedias
A look at an event through the lens of history or hindsight
Periodicals
Periodicals
Periodicals are the most common kind of source you encounter in college-level research and like books, can be published in print, electronic, or web-based form. They are called "periodicals" because they are published on a recurring basis (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly). The audience, the author, and the content makes all the difference between a scholarly journal, a magazine, and a newspaper.
Scholarly Journals (Also called Academic or Peer-Reviewed Journals)
Scholarly Journals (Also called Academic or Peer-Reviewed Journals)
What's in it?
What's in it?
Scholarly journals contain peer-reviewed articles on very specific topics.
The information is well-researched and carefully cited.
The research is objective and detailed.
There may be high-level language and jargon.
Who's the Author?
Who's the Author?
Authors are scholars or specialists in a particular field.
Who's the Audience?
Who's the Audience?
Scholarly journals are written by scholars for scholars (and for researchers like you)!
How Long Does it Take to Publish?
How Long Does it Take to Publish?
Typically up to a year +
Use a Scholarly Journal When You Need:
Use a Scholarly Journal When You Need:
Expert evidence
Focused research
Magazines
Magazines
What's in it?
What's in it?
Information that is written to inform and entertain.
Content is usually subject-specific (like sports, lifestyles, news, etc.).
Magazines typically have lots of photos and short articles.
Who's the Author?
Who's the Author?
Authors are journalists or staff writers.
Unlike scholarly journals, the authors are not required to be specialists in the subject they're writing about.
Who's the Audience?
Who's the Audience?
The general public
How Long Does it Take to Publish?
How Long Does it Take to Publish?
Typically 1 week to a month
Use a Magazine When You Need:
Use a Magazine When You Need:
Opinions on an issue, event, or topic
Information about a recent event or issue
Sources that are not peer-reviewed
Newspapers and News Articles
Newspapers and News Articles
What's in it?
What's in it?
Most newspapers contain local and regional information.
Some newspapers are more broadly focused on the nation or the world.
News articles often appear online as well, in the form of newspaper and television websites. These can also range from local to international in scope.
Who's the Author?
Who's the Author?
Authors are typically journalists and staff writers.
Who's the Audience?
Who's the Audience?
The general public
How Long Does it Take to Publish?
How Long Does it Take to Publish?
Typically 1-2 days
Use a Newspaper When You Need:
Use a Newspaper When You Need:
Information about ongoing events happening locally or regionally
Opinions about local or regional issues
Eyewitness accounts of local or regional events
Primary sources (ie: historical information from newspaper articles written at the time events occurred)
Websites & Social Media
Websites & Social Media
A website is a collection of webpages, each page having specific information, accessed through the internet. Much like a magazine or journal contains many articles in each issue, most websites contains one or more webpages. Social media sites, on the other hand, are a particular type of website that contains an interactive portal where users can connect with each other and share information and ideas. Websites and social media go hand in hand in many ways because social media portals originated as websites, and only later moved to being primarily app-based. The audience, the author, and the content makes all the difference among the websites that you encounter.
Websites
Websites
What's in it?
What's in it?
Websites can contain information about anything and everything you might imagine.
Who's the Author?
Who's the Author?
It could be anyone or any organization.
Who's the Audience?
Who's the Audience?
Depends on the scope or purpose of the website
How Long Does it Take to Publish?
How Long Does it Take to Publish?
Minutes - days
Use a Website When You Need:
Use a Website When You Need:
To do initial research on a topic you are unfamiliar with
To enhance or investigate or expand upon academic research.
To find opinions about a subject, event, or issue
PROTIP: A website's information should always be evaluated in several different ways before using it in college-level research.
Social Media
Social Media
What's in it?
What's in it?
Social media contains links, images, and brief original content.
Who's the Author?
Who's the Author?
Anyone who has an account can create content.
Users range from individuals to organizations and companies.
Sometimes researchers who want to reach larger audiences may use their social media accounts to share research articles or information.
Who's the Audience?
Who's the Audience?
Anyone who has an account
PROTIP: All social media sites have algorithms which push paid content to users based on posted interests, shared information, another other data.
How Long Does it Take to Publish?
How Long Does it Take to Publish?
Seconds
Use Social Media When You Need:
Use Social Media When You Need:
To have conversations and share ideas
Eyewitness accounts of something happening right now
Information about events, businesses, or organizations
To find research ideas.
PROTIP: You should follow the information in a social media post from the social media site to more reliable sources elsewhere.
Other Sources Worth Mentioning
Other Sources Worth Mentioning
Trade Publications
Trade Publications
Periodicals whose purpose is to keep members of an industry up to date with the newest information.
Use when you need a good source for current, industry-specific trends and news.
It can be tricky to determine if a journal is a trade journal or a scholarly publication. Some trade journals have articles with references or authors with academic credentials. The easiest way to tell them apart is to check the journal's "About" information, either through Galileo or by searching for the journal title on your favorite browser.
Preprint Articles
Preprint Articles
This is a preliminary version of an article that is shared online before it is published in a scholarly journal.
Use when you want the most current research information about a topic, but be aware they are not considered peer-reviewed.
Conference Proceedings
Conference Proceedings
These are the published record of a conference, symposium, or other meeting.
Use when you want to engage with research prior to its publication, or connect with researchers or ideas and concepts in your field of interest.
Government Documents
Government Documents
These are documents published on behalf of government agencies, Congress, the president, or the judiciary.
As primary sources, these official government publications provide insight into all aspects of history, from politics to research to cultural issues.
Theses and Dissertations
Theses and Dissertations
Both are lengthy research papers and are the final step to completing a graduate degree.
They are considered scholarly sources in that they are extensively researched, written for an academic audience, and are peer-reviewed by the student's faculty members.
The Information Timeline
The Information Timeline
You may wonder why it matters when we talk about how long it takes for information to be "published." Think about what kind of information see after a major disaster like an earthquake or a tornado. Does what you see on social media, like those videos posted during or immediately after it happens, always match what you read about on news sites a day or two later? This is what we call the "information timeline" or the "information lifecycle." As time passes, we discover more facts and are able to put together a more accurate picture about what actually happened. Let's take a look at what we see when we find information in different types of sources.
The Event Happens
The Event Happens
Seconds After the Event Happens:
Seconds After the Event Happens:
Social media posts include eyewitness comments and videos. It is typically without context and may often prove to be inaccurate later. Some news websites may post short articles and videos as well, usually with a statement like, "We will have more information when it becomes available."
1 - 2 Days After the Event Happens:
1 - 2 Days After the Event Happens:
News articles are being published online and in newspapers. These articles and videos often include statements by first responders and officials, plus interviews with eyewitnesses. More information may be available but details are still sketchy. These news reports continue over the following days and weeks as more facts are discovered and the details become clearer.
Several Weeks After the Event Happens:
Several Weeks After the Event Happens:
Weekly and monthly magazines are starting to publish articles about the event. These articles are written for the general public rather than scholarly researchers. They provide additional factual information and may also include some of the author's assumptions or opinions.
Up to a Year After the Event Happens:
Scholarly articles are being published about the event. These are well-documented and may include historical comparisons, detailed research studies, lessons learned, impact studies, or other significant content. Articles like this are written for scholars in particular fields. For example, an article on the environmental impact of a hurricane will be written for environmental specialists, or an article about a tornado's economic toll may be written for economists and financial experts.
1 - 2 Years After an Event Happens:
Books will be published. This long-form coverage will contain plenty of in-depth research and detail. They may offer personal stories of survivors and timelines about the recovery process. They benefit from hindsight in a way that social media and news articles cannot; looking at an event through the lens of history, even recent history, is a very different experience that reporting facts on the ground as an event happens. New insights may provide useful guidance to future generations.
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