What information do I need?
At times, you might be asked by your instructor to find and use specific kinds of information. Scholarly journal articles aren't always the most efficient way to find answers.
Use this page to learn about different sources to help you decide when you should be using different types of sources in your research.
Types of Sources
Encyclopedias
|
Example |
|
| Audience | Anyone |
| Author | Anyone |
| Citations | References optional |
| Content | Name, classification, overview, history |
| Purpose | To openly share knowledge |
| Review Process | Minimal |
Protein Knowledgebase
|
Example |
|
| Audience | Academics, researchers, industry |
| Author | UniProt staff |
| Citations | References included |
| Content | Name, classification, structure images, sequence data, function |
| Purpose | To openly share knowledge about protein sequences and functions |
| Review Process | Independent Scientific Advisory Board |
Scholarly Journals
|
Example |
 |
| Audience | Academics, researchers |
| Author | Academics and researchers experts in their field |
| Citations | References required |
| Content | Research results/reports, reviews of research, book reviews |
| Purpose | To share with academic community |
| Review Process | Editorial board made up of other experts, many articles are peer-reviewed |