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How to do Library Research

This guide was co-created by the Research & Instruction Department and the Research & Instruction Librarian Intern, Allyson Turner.

Popular vs. Scholarly Vs. Trade Sources

Source Type Description Examples
Popular Popular sources are intended to entertain a general audience. They are authored by journalists or staff writers. Popular sources often have advertisements. Magazines, newspapers, broadcast news, and blogs
Scholarly Scholary sources are presentations of research findings and discussions of scholarly information. They are authored by scholars, professors, researchers, students, and professionals. Books from academic publishers, journals, conference presentations, and reports from research institutes
Trade Trade sources share information about news, trends, technologies, best practices, and products for a specific industry or profession. They are authored by people working in a specific field. Industry-specific journals and professional association newsletters or magazines

 

Primary vs. Secondary vs. Tertiary Sources

Source Type Description Examples
Primary An original document, object, work, or spoken words.

Theses and dissertations, scholarly journal articles presenting original findings, government reports, and conference proceedings

Original artwork, clothing, furniture, poems, and photographs

Speeches, letters, memos, personal narratives, diaries, interviews, autobiographies, and correspondence
Secondary Interpretive content written about or utilizing a primary source. Textbooks, books and articles that interpret or review research works (book reviews), histories, biographies, literary criticism and interpretation, political analyses and commentaries
Tertiary A combination of primary and secondary sources. Dictionaries and encyclopedias, almanacs, fact books, guidebooks, manuals, handbooks, and finding aids