Confused about types of sources?
This video uses humor and exaggeration to teach the difference between popular, substantive, and scholarly sources.
When you’re doing research, not all sources are created equal. Understanding the differences helps you choose the right type of information for your assignment.
Scholarly sources are written by experts, often peer-reviewed, and aimed at other experts. They communicate specialized, discipline-specific information and are usually the best choice when your assignment requires peer-reviewed or research-based evidence.
Substantive sources are written by journalists or professionals for an educated but non-expert audience. They offer timely, credible information on current events and issues. These are especially helpful when you need context, background, or real-world examples.
Popular sources are designed for a general audience. Think magazines, news websites, and blogs. They’re great for spotting trends, finding approachable introductions to a topic, or gauging public opinion—but they usually need to be supplemented with scholarly or substantive sources in academic work.
Each type of source has value—it’s all about matching the source to your purpose.
Scholarly Sources → Use when your assignment requires peer-reviewed research, in-depth analysis, or evidence produced by experts. Best for building strong academic arguments and meeting professor expectations.
Substantive Sources → Use when you need credible, well-researched context written for an educated audience. Great for background information, understanding current debates, or connecting scholarly research to real-world issues.
Popular Sources → Use when you want to identify trends, see how topics are being discussed in everyday media, or get approachable introductions. Best used sparingly in academic work and always supported by scholarly or substantive sources.
When doing research, it’s important to understand the difference between primary and secondary sources:
Primary sources are original, first-hand accounts created during the time under study. They provide direct evidence without interpretation. Examples include government documents, diaries, letters, speeches, interviews, autobiographies, news reporting, creative works, and original studies or experiments.
Secondary sources are created after the time under study. They are one or more steps removed from the original event or idea and provide interpretation, analysis, or summary. Examples include textbooks, encyclopedias, histories, biographies, criticisms, commentaries, and review articles.
Keep in mind: secondary sources may sometimes contain excerpts or images of primary sources, but they are still considered secondary because they interpret or explain the original material.
Use Primary Sources when you need raw evidence, first-hand accounts, or original data. They’re best for supporting original analysis, exploring historical context, or grounding arguments in direct material.
Use Secondary Sources when you need context, explanations, or scholarly perspectives on a topic. They’re best for understanding the “big picture,” seeing how others interpret events or data, and identifying where your work fits into an existing conversation.
Together, primary and secondary sources give you both the evidence and the interpretation needed for strong research.
Good research is built step by step. Different types of sources play different roles, and knowing how to use them strategically will make your work stronger.
Level 1: Popular Sources (web pages, YouTube, and AI tools when allowed)
These are familiar, easy-to-comprehend starting places, perfect for preliminary reading. They can help familiarize you with your topic, refine your topic, generate questions, and identify search terms. But be cautious—quality varies widely, and you’ll need to evaluate carefully before relying on them.
Level 2: Substantive Sources (specialized encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines)
Written for an educated, non-expert audience, these sources are excellent for topic overviews, current issues and real-world perspectives. They’re fact-checked and accessible.They can answer basic questions, point you toward new avenues of research, and are often acceptable sources in college-level work.
Level 3: Scholarly Source
The gold standard in academic research. Scholarly journals are written by experts, for experts, and include studies, experiments, and systematic reviews. They’re highly valued by professors because they offer detailed, specialized information—even though that can make them challenging to read.
By moving upward through these levels, you’ll build a strong foundation of understanding and gradually reach the most authoritative sources for your work.