When using a database to find articles from magazines, journals, and newspapers, it is important to understand the different types of sources.
Scholarly Sources
- Scholarly, or "peer-reviewed" sources, are written by scholars for other scholars and students in a particular field.
- These sources undergo an extensive review process (peer-review) before they are published.
- Usually uses highly technical, specific language in the article.
Trade Sources
- Trade sources are written for experts and students in a given field.
- Although they are not scholarly in nature, trade publications can be excellent sources of information.
Popular Sources
- Popular sources are written for a general audience.
- Popular sources range from entertainment magazines like People to highly regarded national newspapers, such as The New York Times.
- Evaluate articles to make sure they are credible and relevant to your assignment.