Once you have decided on a topic, found background information, and formulated a thesis or topic statement, you can start compiling a working list of sources useful for your purpose. Here are suggestions for some basic types of information sources to get you started:
BOOKS -
Scholarly books, in either print or electronic format, remain to be an important source for researchers. They are a good source for:
Make sure you use the online catalog effectively. See HOW TO USE the ONLINE CATALOG for more information. See a Reference Librarian if you need help. We also have access to MANY e-books.
Periodical ARTICLES -
Journal articles, also known as scholarly articles, academic article, or peer-reviewed articles, are written by scholars or professionals who are experts in their fields. They are an excellent source for:
Articles in periodicals (magazines and journals) contain current information not found in books. To find an adequate range of materials, you may have to use more than one periodical database, containing general articles or scholarly discussions. For methods of selecting and using periodicals see - DISTINGUISHING SCHOLARLY FROM NON-SCHOLARLY PERIODICALS This will help you to determine which periodicals might be best used for your topic.
Generally you will use a database to find articles. See below for more information about databases.
A database is a organized collection of online records in a standardized format that can be accessed for rapid search and retrieval by a computer. Examples of databases are Amazon.com, Academic Search Complete, Netflix, and the library online catalog.
It is useful to think of databases as containers of information. Just as your refrigerator has many containers of food, a library has many containers--or databases--of information. These databases usually contain articles, but can also be collections of videos, book chapters, and more.
Each record in a database is composed of important elements of information that describe a specific item. For example, the elements of information for a specific article title in Academic Search Complete would be contained in a single database record.
Each record is composed of a set of fields which contain the individual elements of information. For example, each record in an article database includes fields such as: article title, authors, journal title (Source), subject terms, and abstract.
Example of a Record from the Academic Search Database:
One of the problems with finding quality material, useful for your research project, is that you need to know where to look! Also, it is important to know that information comes in different forms, and lives in different places. There are different categories of information - or buckets if you like - that you will choose from. Each 'bucket' will will produce some part of the complete set of information that you need. See below for various types of buckets and what kind of information is in each one.
When starting out, consider the purpose, audience, and format of the information you seek.
We live in a society of ubiquitous information coming at us from every level: top down, bottom up, and sideways from our friends and colleagues. Thinking about the type of information you are looking for helps you narrow the playing field.
Information doesn't just "happen" or "exist" on its own. It is produced by people and then disseminated, either through traditional (e.g., mainstream and scholarly publishers) or non-traditional (e.g., self-publishers, Internet) channels. Each has its merits, based on the kind of information you need.
Knowing what type of source you need or are currently using will tell you how the information has come to exist, so you can answer the following:
Before starting to use resources, it's good to know how information is produced, where it comes from, and how it changes over time. The Information Cycle is the progression of media coverage of a particular newsworthy event. Knowing about the information cycle will help you to know what kinds of information is available on your topic and to chose information sources covering that topic.
Select sources after carefully thinking about the types of information that you would like to find.
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Background information or an overview of a topic:
Encyclopedias, dictionaries, almanacs, atlases, and handbooks are great starting points for overviews of topics or quick facts. |
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Up-to-date information on current events:
Newspapers and magazines are reader-friendly and good for current events. |
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Scholarly information on a topic:
Books cover a topic thoroughly, though they may not be as current as other sources. |
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Additional sources within bibliographies or footnotes:
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Current news, products, and trends within a specific trade or industry or detailed information from practitioners in a field:
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Government (federal, state, local) agency data, reports, or statistics:
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Opinion, moving content, supporting images, or audio materials:
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Primary vs. Secondary Sources
Sometimes a research assignment may require that you use Primary, Secondary, or Tertiary sources. By learning which is which, you will be able recognize if the author is reporting on his / her own first hand experiences or relying on the views of others.
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Primary A first-person account written by someone who experienced or witnessed an event. |
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Secondary In this case, the work is a retelling or examination of an event. It interprets and forms conclusions based on the information found in the primary source. |
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Tertiary This type of source points you to primary and secondary sources. |
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Look for additional pieces of information about your topic in other categories. There are MANY sources of information - all of which might be useful. Be sure to check with your professor and check the requirements of your assignment to make sure these are allowed.
NEWSPAPERS -
Newspaper articles are frequently a good source for recent developments in topics of current interest or for contemporary accounts of past events. We have two specialized newspaper databases - Newspaper Source Plus and NewsWires. Both are useful and contain a large number of FULL TEXT newspapers from around the United States and around the world.
PEOPLE -
However helpful the information in the above-mentioned sources may be, you may still have some unanswered questions. These unanswered questions are to be addressed to your librarian, instructor, expert on the subject, or even a representative of government responsible for the area in which you are interested. People are a good source of information, as are recordings, pictures, videos, and local resources. Be sure to use them.
INTERNET -
The World Wide Web (or sometimes referred to as the Internet) is a useful source of information - especially for details such as statistics or esoteric bits of information unique to particular fields. Government information and other kinds of free information are especially accessible.
TAKE CARE with using information found on the Web!! It may be incorrect, outdated, or outright false. Searching for information on the Internet is more challenging than searching for information in a well-organized library. Browsing the Web can be extremely time consuming and often results in little gain. When you want to do research, you need a more structured approach to finding materials
AUDIO SOURCES -
STATISTICS, DATA and NUMBERS -
If you need to back up a statement or support an argument with numbers, use statistics or data. Other sources include:
Are you ready to jump into searching for information? Here are some tips:
Does all of this information make your head spin? Meet with a librarian! Librarians are trained to help you find information, so ask for help.