Locating sources of information for your research will be easier and more successful if you prepare by learning to recognize various types of sources that you may be asked to use. Click the button at the bottom of this page to check your learning about source types.
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When you have a research assignment, many professors will expect you to read and cite scholarly sources, which are often contrasted with popular sources. The main differences between scholarly and popular sources involve how they are published and their purpose.
Popular sources like newspaper and magazine articles are intended for a general audience. They tend to be short, easy to read, and enhanced with eye-catching images and colors.
Scholarly sources are longer, more complex, and full of text. They may include charts and graphs or reproductions of images that are interpreted in the text. Most, but not all, scholarly sources are peer reviewed. Examples of scholarly sources include articles published in scholarly journals and books published by university and academic presses.
| Scholarly | Popular | Trade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Example |  |
 |
 |
| Audience | Academic researchers | General audience | Professionals in the business |
| Authors | Unpaid experts and specialists | Paid staff and freelance journalists and writers | Paid staff writers and industry experts |
| Editors | Unpaid editors and peer reviewers | Paid editors | Paid editors |
| Articles | Usually 10-20 pages, sophisticated text with few charts, graphs, or illustrations | Usually 1-3 pages, easy-to-read text with full-color illustrations | Usually 2-4 pages, easy-to-read text with professional jargon and full-color illustrations |
| Citations | Almost always, many | Rarely, few | Sometimes, few |
The main differences between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources involve how they are created and their purpose.
| Primary | Secondary | Tertiary |
|---|---|---|
| Authors report the results of their own study, in which they collected and analyzed data, often in the field or in the laboratory; also called empirical research. | Authors summarize previously published studies and discuss trends, patterns, and relationships among them. | Authors provide a general overview and factual information about a topic. |
| Formats: original research articles, dissertations, technical reports, and conference presentations | Formats: books and literature review articles, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses | Formats: fact sheets, guidelines, textbooks, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks |
| Example: Tadros, M., et al. (2023). Preferences of university students for a psychological intervention designed to improve sleep: Focus group study. JMIR human factors, 10, e44145. https://doi.org/10.2196/44145 | Example: Wang, F., & Bíró, É. (2021). Determinants of sleep quality in college students: A literature review. Explore, 17(2), 170–177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2020.11.003 | Example: Centers for Disease Control. (2024, May 22). FastStats: Sleep in adults. Sleep. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data-research/facts-stats/adults-sleep-facts-and-stats.html |
| Primary | Secondary | Tertiary |
|---|---|---|
| Original documents or artifacts created during the time period being studied. | The author analyzes and interprets one or more primary sources. | Authors provide a general overview and factual information about a topic. |
| Formats: literary or religious texts, music scores, art works, cultural objects, films, historical documents (diaries, letters, transcripts, speeches, official records) | Formats: scholarly articles and books, biographies, dissertations, conference papers | Formats: textbooks, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks |
| Example: Official Program for the March on Washington (1963) | Example: Jones, William P. 2013. “The Forgotten Radical History of the March on Washington.” Dissent 60 (2): 74–79. | Example: Smith, Robert, C. 2021. “March on Washington, 1963.” In Encyclopedia of African-American Politics, 3rd ed. Facts on File. |
Be aware that many newspapers and news sites publish both news stories and opinion pieces. The main differences between news and opinion articles involve their purpose.
News stories are articles written by journalists that report the facts about current issues and events; they strive to be accurate and to avoid bias.
Example: Guynn, J. (2023). Trust in social media is in free-fall. USA Today.
Opinion pieces represent a particular author's opinions and analysis of issues and events.
Example: Siegel, M. (2023). Families are key in limiting the social media trap. USA Today.
Editorials are opinion pieces that typically represent the views of the publication's editors or publishers.
The outmoded term op-ed refers to the traditional location of opinion columns in a printed newspaper, opposite the editorial page.
Reviews are opinion pieces that represent a critic's evaluation of a book, movie, art exhibition, etc.
The previous sections highlight the ways that various source types differ in how they are created, how they are published, and their purposes. This glossary will help you distinguish among the various source types that are listed in the library catalog and other databases.
A database is an organized collection of information. Databases usually include tools that allow people to browse their contents, to search for specific items, or both.
Databases can contain many different types and formats of information. For example, the website Genius.com is a database of song lyrics. Spotify is a database of audio recordings with a built-in audio player.
Library databases like WorldCat Discovery, JSTOR, and Films on Demand, include records that describe books, articles, videos, and other information sources. These records may indicate the location of physical items like books or link to full digital texts and recordings.
Abstract Academic Journal Article Book Chapter Citation Conference Paper Data Set Dissertation Government Document Journal Magazine Manuscript Microform Newspaper Peer-Reviewed Journal Proceedings Reference Book Report Review Scholarly Journal Thesis Trade Journal White Paper Working Paper
A journal is a printed or digital publication, typically distributed monthly or quarterly, that contains articles pertaining to a particular subject.
A scholarly or academic journal contains research articles and reviews written by scholars in a particular academic field of study. Most research articles published in scholarly journals are peer-reviewed, meaning that they are evaluated and approved by other scholars working in the same field prior to publication. Refereed is a synonym for peer-reviewed.
A trade journal, contains articles and reviews written by and for people working in a particular profession.
A report is a standalone document that provides an account of an investigation, typically one conducted on behalf of a government agency or a nongovernmental organization.
A white paper is a type of report that recommends a solution to a problem within an industry.