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Ready, Set, Research Visualized

This guide uses infographics to communicate some of the fundamental steps in the research process

Types of Information Scholarly, Substantive, and Popular Sources Scholarly Sources (example: journals like the New England Journal of Medicine) Produced by discipline experts and aimed at other experts Communicates specialized and discipline-specific information Often reporting original research and experimentation Some scholarly content is peer-reviewed Scholarly information is a great choice for college students, though it can be challenging to read and understand for the non-expert. Substantive Sources (example: newspapers of record like the New York Times) Produced by experts or journalists and geared toward an educated -- but not necessarily expert -- audience Communicates timely, credible information of general interest Fact-checked before publication Substantive information is a great choice for community college students because it is both credible and accessible Popular Sources (example: fun magazines like Men’s Health) Produced by journalists, staff and freelance writers, even AI; aimed at the general public Provides a broad overview of topics a general readership will find entertaining Great for identifying potential topic ideas and providing general introductions to topics If you want (or need) to use popular material for academic work, talk to your professor as you'll need to be sure to supplement it with articles from scholarly and substantive sources

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Types of Information: Primary and Secondary Sources Primary sources are: Created during the time under study A first-hand account Direct sources without interpretation Examples of primary sources include: Government documents Diaries and letters Laws and codes Studies and experiments News reporting of current events Speeches Interviews Autobiographies Creative works like novels, poems, films, paintings, sculptures, buildings, etc. Secondary sources are: Created after the time under study One or more steps removed from events Indirect sources that interpret, summarize, and/or analyze primary sources and events Examples of secondary sources include: Textbooks Encyclopedias Histories Review articles Biographies Criticisms, commentaries, and opinion pieces

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Subjects: Research Tips
Tags: how_to, howto, infographics, kathleen, research
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