Using and Documenting Sources:

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Using and Documenting Sources
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Definitions

• Research
• Collecting information to support and develop
  ideas
• Source
• Any medium that provides information for a
  written or oral project

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Why Use Sources?

• Supplement your knowledge
• Enhance your credibility
• Knowledge and credibility determine which sources
  to use and how much source material to use.

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Examples

• Books
• Magazines
• Journals
• Newspapers
• Web sites
• Letters, diaries

• Pamphlets
• Brochures
• Surveys
• Interviews
• Experiments
• Media broadcasts

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Two Types of Sources

• Primary Sources the real subject of study the
  original words or ideas of a writer or
  researcher first-hand information
• Examples novels, plays, poems, speeches,
  eyewitness accounts, letters, autobiographies,
  published interviews, original research
  (experiments, surveys, interviews, field notes,
  etc.)

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• Secondary Sources critical and historical
  accounts written about primary materials
  second-hand information
• Examples scholarly books and essays, periodical
  articles, reputable internet sites, media
  broadcasts

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Periodicals

• Sources that are published periodically (daily,
  weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.)
• Examples Newspapers, magazines, journals

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Magazines

• Audience General public
• Authors Expert or educated
• Coverage General or specialized
• Characteristics Relatively short articles,
  frequent pictures, glossy cover
• Publication Usually weekly or monthly
• Credibility Varies
• Examples Newsweek, Time, Sports Illustrated,
  People

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Journals

• Audience Students/researchers
• Authors Expert
• Coverage Specialized
• Characteristics Lengthy articles, evidence of
  substantial research
• Publication Often quarterly
• Credibility Excellent
• Examples Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal
  of the American Medical Association, The Novel

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Evaluating Sources

• Is the source truly informative?
• Is the source recent enough?
• Was the source written or compiled by an expert?
• Is the source unbiased?

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Internet Sites

• Check out the author.
• Check out the links.
• Examine the sources.
• Evaluate the writing/design.
• Pay attention to the updated date.
• Note the domain.