This chart describes the different kinds of sources you may find in your research, and what they are generally used for in academic work.
Attribution:
What Types of Sources Can I Use? by Kristin M. Woodward and Kate L. Ganski, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, is licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0
Information can come from virtually anywhere — media, blogs, personal experiences, books, journal and magazine articles, expert opinions, encyclopedias, and web pages — and the type of information you need will change depending on the question you are trying to answer. Look at the following sources of information. Notice the similarities between them.
| Type | Information | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Magazines |
A collection of articles and images about diverse topics of popular interest and current events. Articles are usually written by journalists and are geared toward the average adult reader. Magazines may cover very "serious" material, but to find consistent scholarly information, you should use journals. |
- to find information or opinions about popular culture - to find up-to-date information about current events - to find general articles for people who are not necessarily specialists about the topic |
- National Geographic - Sports Illustrated - People |
|
Academic Journals |
A journal is a collection of articles written by scholars in an academic or professional field. An editorial board reviews articles to decide whether they should be accepted. Articles in journals can cover very specific topics or narrow fields of research. |
- when doing scholarly research - to find out what has been studied on your topic - to find references that point to other relevant research |
- Journal of Communication - The Historian - Journal of the American Medical Association - Lancet |
|
Databases |
The library's databases are made especially for college-level research: they search collections of journals, magazines, newspapers, ebooks (and more!), often focusing on a particular subject area. They also give as MCC students quick full-text access to hundreds of thousands of subscription-only journals, ebooks, videos, and other media types. |
|
- Academic Search Premier - Credo Reference - Lexis-Nexis
|
|
Newspapers |
A newspaper is a collection of articles about current events usually published daily. Since there is at least one in every city, it is a great source for local information. |
|
- Washington Post - New York Times - Arizona Republic
|
|
Books |
Books cover virtually any topic, fact or fiction. For research purposes, you will probably be looking for books that synthesize all the information on one topic to support a particular argument or thesis. |
- when looking for lots of information on a topic - to put your topic in context with other important issues - to find historical information - to find summaries of research to support an argument |
|
|
The Web |
The Web allows you to access most types of information on the Internet through a browser. One of the main features of the Web is the ability to quickly link to other related information. The Web contains information beyond plain text, including sounds, images, and video. Remember to evaluate a Web site before using it as a source in your research paper! |
- to find current information - to find information about companies - to find information from all levels of government - federal to local - to find both expert and popular opinions - to find information about hobbies and personal interests |
- www.ed.gov/ (U.S Department of Education) - wikipedia.org (a wiki) - www.mohave.edu (Mohave Community College) |
Attribution:
Types of Information Sources by Virgina Tech University Libraries is licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA
Here's a list of questions to help you decide how you're going to use each of your sources:
Does your assignment include instructions on source use?
Some assignments will ask you to respond in a specific way to a source. For example, you might be asked to test a theory developed in one source by using a body of evidence found in another source. Or you might be asked to respond to a claim or assumption laid out in a particular source. Other assignments may specify the number of sources you should use, but will not include instructions on how you should use those sources.
Does the source provide context or background information about your topic?
A source can orient you to the historical context of an issue or idea, review the literature on a topic, or provide other background information. If you found background information in a source, you may decide to use parts of it in your paper to orient your reader in a similar way. Remember that even sources you use for background information or context must be cited in your paper.Has the source shaped your argument by raising a question, suggesting a line of thinking, or providing a provocative quotation?
Some sources will help you develop your thinking on a topic by raising questions you hadn't considered or making claims that shape your thinking.Does the source serve as an authoritative voice in support of your claim?
If an authoritative source supports your claim, you'll want to cite it in your paper. However, if a source makes the same argument you're making, you will need to ask yourself what your paper is adding to what that source has already said (see the plagiarism section of this Guide for a discussion of what to do if you find a source late in the process that is making the same argument as you are). Ask yourself these questions: Are you extending or complicating the source's claim in some way? Are you bringing new evidence to bear on the source's idea?Does the source provide evidence for your claim?
A source may provide data that supports a claim you're making. You will use this source in your paper as evidence for your claim, integrating the relevant passages or data into your own argument and explaining its significance.Does the source make a counter argument that you will disagree with or take a position that complicates your own position?
Rather than leaving out sources that disagree with you, make sure to include those sources and explain why you disagree with them or how they complicate your own position. Doing so strengthens your position by showing that you can respond to ideas that seem to challenge or contradict your own.Attribution:
Permission to use A Source's Role in Your Paper provided by the Harvard College Writing Program, Copyright © 2016 President and Fellows of Harvard College.
This video explains differences between primary and secondary resources.
Attribution Notice:
Permission to use Primary vs Secondary Sources provided by author Rob Redmon, Copyright © 2013.
Scholarly articles typically communicate original research or analysis for other researchers, and go through a peer review process before they are published by an academic journal. This brief video takes a closer look at that process and addresses some of its limitations.
All About Peer Review by CSUDH Library is licensed CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
