1. Information Sources Considered
Hatch Library Guide
Information
Sources
Considered

2. Research Made Simple
Match the information need – your topic -- with appropriate, reliable sources
Books
Newspapers
Magazines
Journals
Websites
Other

3. What kind of information do you need?
Historical?
Current?
Scholarly?
Popular?
Brief?
In-depth?
Background?
Statistics?

4. Selecting Sources Define the type of information you need
Consider which type of source will be most relevant and accurate
Consider the requirements of your assignment
Book?
Newspaper?
Magazine?
Scholarly Journal?
Website?

5. The Beauty of Books Books offer Great background information Overviews
Context & scope
Authority
editors & publishers
User friendly formats
print
electronic

6. Consider Reference Books!
Throughout the research process, reference books can clarify, define, and provide vital background information
General encyclopedias
Specialized encyclopedias
Dictionaries
Almanacs
Directories
Gazetteers
Atlases

7. Beyond Wikipedia Specialized Encyclopedias
Also known as subject encyclopedias
Often have scholarly articles written by experts
Good for finding topics, getting overviews
Electronic Reference Sources
Usually have a print counterpart
You can find these in the library catalog, or in the Research Database by Subject list under Reference

8. Periodicals Periodicals: publications that appear periodically
Types of Periodicals
Newspapers
Magazines
Trade magazines
Journals

9. Newspapers Written for a general audience
Reporters and journalists are often generalists, not specialists
Offer very current information
Editors check facts, but because of quick turn-around, information may contain errors
May provide primary source materials
For example: interviews; advertisements from the 1920s
Major U.S. papers include the New York Times, Wall Street Journal– available at Hatch in e-format & print

10. Magazines and Journals
Provide excellent secondary source material
Great for current information
Magazines offer a more popular approach –
e.g., Parents Magazine
Journals articles offer a more scholarly approach
e.g., Journal of Marriage and the Family

11. Journals v. Magazines Journals Magazines
Target audience: academics, professionals, researchers
Publishers: professional associations, universities
Writers: scholars, researchers, specialists, experts
Purpose: distribute scholarly information
Magazines
Target audience: general public
Publishers: companies
Writers: generalists, journalists, professional writers
Purpose: entertain, inform, make a profit

12. Magazines Journals Current information
Popular topics: What’s hot in kitchen gardens this year: get some spice in your life with peppers
Topics try to appeal to a wide range of readers
General discussion
Good for overviews or starting points
Current research
Specialized topics: The impact of the long-horned beetle on maple trees in the 1990s
Often topics have narrow focus, special readership
Detailed examination
Good for cutting-edge ideas

13. Distinctions Among Magazines
Substantive General Interest
Aimed at an educated readership
Examples:
Scientific American
New Yorker
Trade Magazines
Cover a particular industry or field
OT Practice (about occupational therapy)
National Paralegal Reporter (for paralegal professionals)

14. Distinctions Among Journals
Peer-Reviewed Journals or Refereed Journals
Undergo an editorial process called “peer review”
Scholars, academics, or professionals -- sometimes called “referees” -- review articles submitted to these journals for suitability for publication
Some journals are considered more distinguished or core journals in their fields
For example, APA journals in psychology

15. How can you tell if a journal is refereed?
See if the journal turns up if you limit your database search to “peer-reviewed” or “refereed” journals
Check the journal’s or publisher’s website, the journal’s inside cover, or the journal’s submission guidelines on the web
Check the reference book Magazines for Libraries
Ask a librarian for help

16. How can you tell if an online article is scholarly?
Look for citations throughout the article
Look for a list of references at the end of the article
Determine if the language is formal, technical or discipline-specific
Look for charts & graphs

17. Evaluating Periodicals
Remember: there is a range of publications
Different target audiences
Different content
Different purpose
Consider your audience
Psychology Professor? A research article
OT client? An article in a health magazine
Paralegals? An article in a trade magazine

18. What’s so great about the Web?
Government information
Statistics
Informational brochures
Primary sources
Company homepages
Digital archives
Virtual libraries
Reference materials
News
International newspapers
Academic sites
Professional information
Association homepages
Professional listservs
Online exhibits & tutorials
Universities, libraries, museums

19. Be Web Aware…
Information on the Internet comes from a variety of sources.
There are often no editorial boards or publishers screening Web content!
Consumers of all information, particularly from the web, must be critical of sources and evaluate all information.

20. How Do I Find These Sources?
Books, Videos
Articles
Newspapers Journals Magazines
Websites
Online Catalogs
Library Research Databases
Search Engines & Subject Directories

21. Like a river, information starts in one place, and ends up in another
Where information is in its journey -- and how people use it -- determines whether it is considered to be a
Primary source
Secondary source
Tertiary source

22. The Flow of Information
The Flow of Information from the UCLA College Library illustrates how information is created once an event occurs
Information sources about the event
start out being primary
then become secondary
and finally become tertiary

23. Primary Sources Original writings or records “Firsthand” documents
Are not interpreted
Example: a diary
May not be published
Often add originality and interest to research

24. Primary Sources May Be:
Diaries
Letters
Memoirs
Autobiographies
Songs from a historical period
Speeches
Interviews
Photographs of an event
Videos of an event
Newspaper ads or articles from a historical period
Artifacts (furniture, recipes, memorabilia)
Records (birth certificates, tax records, property deeds, census data)
Manuscripts (the Declaration of Independence)
Original research reports in scientific journals
Company home pages, memos, reports

25. Secondary Sources
Restate, evaluate, interpret, or analyze primary source documents or the research of others
Often argue a particular viewpoint
Are often published by scholars in academic publications
Many nonfiction books and articles that explore or interpret a topic are secondary sources
Example: a college research paper
Example: a book about global warming

26. Tertiary Sources
Tertiary sources organize, summarize, or condense secondary sources of information
These sources point to other sources of information
Many reference books fit into this category
Examples: bibliographies, indexes

27. How can you tell if a source is primary or secondary?
Consider how you are using the source – context is important.
A biography of Sylvia Plath is a generally considered to be a secondary source.
If you are studying approaches to writing biography, though, the very same biography of Plath could become a primary source.
Consider the academic field you are writing in – different rules apply.
In some sciences, an original research study reported in a journal is considered to be a primary source.
In history, a research study on early manuscripts is considered to be a secondary source – the manuscripts are primary sources.

28. Primary? … Secondary?
Both types of sources can be useful in college research papers
Primary sources may seem more difficult to find, but they can add depth and interest to your research
Secondary sources can provide informed opinions or information

29. Sources: making connections
Research builds on the ideas of others
Use a variety of information sources to explore your research question
Primary, secondary, tertiary
Books, journals, substantive magazines, newspapers
Good sources of information lead to better research, better papers

30. Considering information sources carefully can help make creative research connections
To learn more, see the following Hatch Library Handouts
Scholarly vs. Popular Sources
Evaluating Articles
Citing Sources
HATCH LIBRAY BAYPATH COLLEGE
CREATED 2000 MH; REVISED 11/09