|
Source Type |
Purpose |
Academic or not? |
$$$ |
|
Books and ebooks |
Extensive coverage of one topic or theme; useful for background information |
Yes - academic libraries provide scholarly books |
The Library buys books and ebooks |
|
Magazines |
Written for a general audience; focused on popular, current topics |
Not academic, but found in Library research databases (otherwise paywall) |
The Library buys subscriptions |
|
Scholarly journals |
Written for an academic audience; extensive editing process; reporting of original research |
Yes - academic |
The Library buys subscriptions |
|
Professional journals |
Written for professionals in a particular field. Reports on topics and events in a given industry |
Not academic, but found in Library research databases (otherwise paywall) |
The Library buys subscriptions |
|
Newspapers |
Current events and news; often published daily |
Not academic, but found in Library research databases (otherwise paywall) |
The Library buys subscriptions |
|
Websites |
Covers a wide range of personal, corporate, or informational topics |
Usually not academic (some .edu websites could be considered academic). Information / websites must be evaluated for reliability |
Free, but many reputable sources (newspaper, magazine sites) have advertisements and/or a paywall. |