Choosing Sources
Use the below table to compare and contrast how different sources are created and how you might use them differently in your project.
|
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 a large body of work |
| Review Process | Books are reviewed for content by editors and sometimes experts. Often requires multiple rounds of review and revision |
| How to Use |
Review Table of Contents to find specific chapters. Search full text or the index to find exactly where your topic is discussed. Read selections or key chapters. Check sources to find other previously published resources. |
Journal Articles
|
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 |
| How to Use |
For articles that summarize a topic, read the whole article. For articles that summarize a research study, read out of order for easier comprehension. Start with Abstract > Discussion > Results > Introduction > Methods. |
Statistics & Datasets
|
Example |
 |
| Audience | General Public |
| Author | Written by researchers, often at government agencies or non-profit research companies |
| Citations | Methodology should be described |
| Content | Numerical dataset |
| Purpose | To measure and evaluate health trends |
| Review Process | Unsure |
| How to Use |
Review specific measurements Compare/contrast with academic/professional resources like journal articles to understand factors that influence these statistics Evaluate the source for particular viewpoints or potential bias from the organization |
Websites
|
Example |
 |
| Audience | Check About page |
| Author | Check individual page or check About page |
| Citations | Not required |
| Content | Anything - personal opinion, sales, government documents, think tank reports, videos |
| Purpose | To share with anyone |
| Review Process | Not required |
| How to Use |
Review content critically Check information found against other trustworthy sources |
Library Search box
This search box searches our books, articles, and more from many of our databases.