EN 12 Web Companion
Stage 2: Determine Best Sources
Select background sources, such as subject encyclopedias and dictionaries:
Other types of sources required:
Check with your professor to find out which types are preferred.
Any of the following may be required, although scholarly books and
journals are the most common for college work.
- scholarly journals
- newspapers
- magazines
- books
- Websites
- primary documents
- images/other media
- prof./trade journals
- other
It can be helpful to note the differences between scholarly and popular information resources:
|
Types of Resources
|
Scholarly vs.
|
Popular
|
- Journals
- Books
- Images/other media
- Newspapers
- Web sites
- Professional/trade journals
- Magazines
- Primary documents
- Other
|
- Authored by a subject expert or scholar
- Text-heavy, with illustrations or data displayed in tables or charts.
- Based on original research
- Includes a reference list or bibliography
- Peer-reviewed (delays publication but increases quality)
|
- Authored by a non-expert or journalist
- Flashy, prominent images are common
- Based on personal experience or second-hand information
- Lacks reference list and bibliography
- Up-to-the-minute, current information
|
For additional help, contact:
- A Reference Librarian
- The Writing Center
|
