Decisions, decisions...
Use this guide to help you make a decision about which information source is best. If you are deciding on a topic or need background information on a topic, start with an encyclopedia. If you want in-depth coverage of a topic, look for a book. If you are looking for current thinking about a topic, try a magazine or newspaper.
If you are ready to do intense research on a narrow or specific subject, select peer-reviewed articles from academic journals in the databases.
Collections of brief, factual articles on various topics. Great starting point for research to gather background information about your topic.
- Usually organized alphabetically by topic.
- Writers are experts in their field, but this is NOT scholarly information.
- Two types of encyclopedias:
- General - Covers all topics
- Example:
- Encyclopedia Brittanica
- Columbia Encyclopedia
- Example:
- Subject - Focuses on one field or topic such as Religion. Best bet for college-level background research.
- Example
- Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History
- Encyclopedia of Bioethics
- Example
- General - Covers all topics
Newspapers
- A collection of fairly short articles reporting on news, trends, events.
- Written by journalists and staff writers.
- NOT scholarly. "Popular" press.
- Very current. Usually published daily; sometimes weekly.
- Audience: the average adult; available at stores and newstands.
Examples:
- The Boston Globe
- The New York Times
- The Chronicle of Higher Education
Magazines
- A collection of easy-to-read articles
- Often has images and advertising
- Articles written by journalists or staff writers.
- NOT scholarly. Sometimes they are called "popular."
- Usually very current information. Magazines often publish on a monthly or weekly basis.
- Audience: the average adult reader; available at bookstores and newstands.
Examples:
- Time
- National Geographic
- Sports Illustrated
- Psychology Today
- Consumer Reports
- Prevention
- Atlantic
Trade Magazines or Journals
- A collection of articles on news, trends, and developments within a specific industry.
- NOT scholarly.
- Audience is workers within a specific profession.
- Advertising is specific to the industry.
- Most industries have trade journals. Some are published by trade associations.
- Most are not available at newstands.
Journals
- A collection of serious articles typically longer in length (10+ pages).
- Little or no images or advertising.
- Focused on a specific discipline such as medicine or art.
- Written by researchers and experts in the discipline. They are called scholars.
- Audience: other scholars or researchers in the same field. Usually found in libraries. Hardly ever available at a bookstore or newstand.
- Based on other research so a lengthy list of references is included.
- SCHOLARLY
- also called peer-reviewed, academic, or refereed journals
Examples:
- The New England Journal of Medicine
- Nature
- The Academy of Management Review
Scholarly/Peer-reviewed Sources
What is a scholarly/peer-reviewed source? How can I recognize one? Why should I use them? Where do I find them? Use this handout to help you understand and utilize scholarly/peer-reviewed sources.
Books
- A nonfiction book either provides general information, a broad overview of a topic, or a deep analysis of a subject.
- There are books on every topic.
- Online (ebooks) or in print.
- Students should look for books that bring together all the information on one topic to support a claim or thesis.
- Books can be scholarly or popular.
- How to identify scholarly books? Evaluate the author and the publisher.
- Does the author hold a doctorate or teach at a university?
- Has the author written other important books on the subject?
- Did the author receive fellowships or grants to support the writing of the book?
- Is the book published by a university press such as Johns Hopkins University Press?
Encyclopedias cover many topics and are an excellent source to gather background information. They cover important people, places, events, things, and ideas and often have photographs, drawings, charts, timelines, and maps. Encyclopedias are collections of short, factual entries often written by different contributors who are knowledgeable about the topic. Therefore, encyclopedias are reliable sources of information because they have been edited by experts in
various fields.
There are two types of encyclopedias: general and specialized subject encyclopedias. General encyclopedias, such as World Book, provide concise overviews on a wide variety of topics. Specialized subject encyclopedias contain in-depth entries focusing on one field of study. For example, there can be an encyclopedia about animals or one about U.S. history.
When do I use a general encyclopedia?
Use a general encyclopedia when you need the following:
- background information on a topic
- key ideas, important dates, or concepts
Where do I find a general encyclopedia?
An encyclopedia can be in print, online, or both. In print, it can be a single book or multiple volumes. Typically encyclopedias are found either
in a separate area or in the reference section with a call number of 030.
How is a general encyclopedia organized?
An encyclopedia is typically arranged alphabetically by subject.
How do I use a print general encyclopedia?
To find information, look for it alphabetically by subject or consult the index in the back of the volume or the master index for the set.
How do I use an online general encyclopedia?
Online general
encyclopedias may be exact replicas of the equivalent print book, while some are published exclusively online. Online general encyclopedias often have a searchable index, or a typical index that links automatically to the page indicated. Online encyclopedias are also typically searchable by either keyword or subject.
Unlike traditional encyclopedias, some online encyclopedias, such as Wikipedia, can be edited by anyone. Therefore, information should be verified.
How do I use a database to find a general encyclopedia?
Searching a database by topic will result in sources from magazines, journals, newspapers, eBooks, and more. Most databases' advanced search feature allows your search to be limited by the type of source you are looking for. You can also limit your source by date of article or by a specific encyclopedia.