Learn more about some of the terms used in this module. They are listed alphabetically. Contact a Librarian if we missed a term you'd like to learn more about!
Books cover virtually any topic, fact or fiction, often more in-depth than most other source types. 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. Sometimes a single book chapter might be useful to your research. Books listed in a catalog may be in print or electronic (eBook). Consider the author’s background; typically research-type books have a high level of authority. Use books to:
Encyclopedias are collections of short, factual entries often written by different contributors who are knowledgeable about the topic, lending a high level of authority to the entries. There are two types of encyclopedias: general and subject specific. General encyclopedias provide concise overviews on a wide variety of topics. Subject specific encyclopedias contain in-depth entries focusing on one field of study. Use an encyclopedia to:
Look for .gov to identify official government websites at local, regional, and national levels. Occasionally other domain types are used for government-sponsored websites. They often have reports, data, and links to government entities related to your topic or issue. If you have any questions, contact a librarian!
Anywhere you gather information from, such as websites, encyclopedias, books, social media, newspapers, scholarly journals, etc.
A magazine is a collection of articles and images about diverse topics of popular interest and current events. Usually these articles are written by journalists and are geared toward the average adult. Magazines may cover very "serious" material, but to find consistent scholarly information, you should use journals. Use magazines to:
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. (You may also turn to local news radio or television for local information!) Like magazines, newspapers are frequently written by journalists or reporters for general audiences. Newspapers can be used to:
Some academic or scholarly journals include articles that have been peer-reviewed, meaning other experts/scholars in the same field have reviewed an article for methodology and content before publication. It’s more thorough than an editorial review and for this reason is often viewed as an indication of quality and credibility. These sources still need to be read with a critical eye!
How closely something matches something else. In the context of the research process, you are usually looking for how useful sources are based on how closely they connect with your selected topic.
A journal is a collection of articles usually written by scholars in an academic or professional field, meaning they have a high level of authority. The intended audience is other experts in the same field. An editorial board reviews articles to decide whether they should be accepted, and many journals also use peer reviewers to evaluate articles prior to publication (see “What’s ‘peer review’? below). Articles in journals can cover very specific topics or narrow fields of research and can take time to read and understand. Always start by reading the Abstract or Summary. Use academic journal articles to:
Textbooks are used in courses and often provide quality information on a topic. Use them to:
Videos are an audio-visual record of events, either factually or creatively. They present events in an order that enhances their meaning. Images, charts, graphs, and more media types exist in library sources and beyond. The variety of quality and depth of information varies wildly across all videos and media. Use media to:
Websites contain a variable level of information provided by everyone from children to scientists to governmental officials to citizens to sales companies. Each website should be evaluated on it’s own, paying close attention to the author(s), intended audience, and purpose as these criteria vary from site to site. If you're unsure, do a Google search for the organization behind a website for more information from places like online encyclopedias. Websites can be used to:
