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Information comes in many different formats: Journals, books, newspapers, government publications, audio, video, bibliographies, dissertation/thesis, data, a personal interview are just some examples. Remember to ask yourself the following questions when selecting sources.
This table will help explain some of the different types of information formats.
|
Sources |
Type of information |
How to find them |
|
Books |
Varies greatly -- can range from contemporary to older more historical information. May report facts, studies, statistics, analysis, etc. |
The library catalog |
|
Magazines & Journals |
Good source for current information. May provide scholarly perspectives, studies reports, or discussion. May also provide popular perspectives, polls and stories, etc. |
Library databases or print indexes |
|
Newspapers |
Good source of recent or current information. May range from local to international information and perspectives. May include statistics, polls, reports, etc. |
Library databases or print indexes |
|
Videos, documentaries, etc. |
Varies greatly -- can range from current or older. May have dramatizations of issues or actual reports. |
The library catalog |
|
Government Publications |
Good source for current or older government studies, reports, statistics, etc. |
The library catalog or government web sites |
|
Interviews |
Good sources of topic-specific information and first hand accounts. |
Personal interviews, Library databases or print indexes |
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