Section 1 – Types of Information Sources
With all the information available, not only in print but on the World Wide Web, where do you begin to look? Information literacy is knowing why, when, and how to use different types of sources and how to pick the best sources for your needs.
Information can come from virtually anywhere. The type of information you need depends on the question you are trying to answer.
Magazines
Magazines publish articles on topics of interest and current events. The articles are written by journalists and are for the general public. Magazines, like journals and newspapers, are called “periodicals” because they are published at regular intervals throughout the year. You can find magazines at newsstands and in libraries. Some are now available on the Web as electronic magazines.
Use a magazine…
Some examples of magazines are…
Journals
Journal articles are written by scholars in an academic or professional field. An editorial board reviews articles to decide whether they should be published. Journal articles may cover very specific topics or narrow fields of research.
Since journals are published at periodic intervals, they also are grouped in the category called “periodicals.” They may be in print format or on the Web as electronic journals. The Global University Library purchases subscriptions to many journals. Some journals are also available for free on the Web. These are "Open Access" journals.
Use a journal…
Some examples of journals are…
Newspapers
Newspapers provide articles each day about current events and are a good source for local information. Newspapers, like journals and magazines, are called “periodicals” because they are published regularly, or periodically.
You can find newspapers in print or on the Web as electronic newspapers. Many newspapers have their own Web sites with current news, and sometimes they provide access to earlier articles for free.
Use a newspaper…
Some examples of newspapers are…
Books
Books cover virtually any topic, fact or fiction. For research purposes, you will probably want to look for books that summarize all the information on your topic. Libraries organize and store their print book collection on shelves called “stacks.” Many books (eBooks) are now available electronically on the Web or in proprietary databases.
Use a book…
Some examples of books are…
Library Catalog
The library catalog identifies every item in the library and will point you to its location. Most library catalogs include books, journals, magazines, newspapers, videos, music, government documents, images, and more. However, you won’t find periodical articles by subject in the library catalog. You will need to use an article index such as Academic Search Elite or Atla Religion Database with AtlaSerials.
Use the library catalog…
Encyclopedias
Encyclopedias contain factual articles on many subjects and are generally used to find background information on your topic. There are two types of encyclopedias—general encyclopedias and subject encyclopedias. General encyclopedias provide overviews on a wide variety of topics. Subject encyclopedias contain entries focusing on one field of study. Many encyclopedias are now available online as well as in print.
Use an encyclopedia…
Some examples of encyclopedias are…
Article Indexes
Article indexes (also called periodical indexes) include the citations of articles in magazines, journals, and newspapers. Some article indexes contain abstracts (brief summaries) of the articles. Many now contain the full text of the article. Online article indexes, purchased by the Global University Library, are accessible from the library Web site.
Use an article index…
Some examples of article indexes are…
World Wide Web
The Web allows you to access information on the Internet through a browser. One of the main features of the Web is the ability to link quickly to other related information.
Use the Web…
Some examples of web addresses are…
Selecting Sources
Now that you know the wide range of sources available to you, how do you select the best one for your research?
If you need…
Background information, such as the history of Christianity... You might try: Books or Encyclopedias
Popular articles about new church plantings or trends in worship... You might try: Magazines
Current information about a speech at a convention or conference... You might try: Newspapers or the Web
Scholarly articles about eschatology or church growth philosophy... You might try: Journals
Start with the Library
Library resources are free.
Libraries purchase copies of materials that can be shared by many people. Libraries also purchase subscriptions to electronic databases which are free to the library users.
Library resources are organized.
Items are organized so you can find all the sources on a topic. For example, when you search for a book in the library catalog you will get a call number. The books shelved nearby will cover a similar topic.
Library resources go through a review process.
They’ve been checked by an editor or peer-reviewed, then selected by librarians—whether books, magazines, journals, or online databases. The library collects resources considered reliable, historically relevant, and valuable.
Library resources are meant to be kept permanently.
A primary function of a library is to store information published throughout time. As well as finding very current information, you can also find books that are no longer published and older issues of magazines.
Library resources come with personal assistance.
Libraries have staff trained to help you find what you need.
The Library: Quality over Quantity
Libraries have large collections of information on a variety of carefully selected and organized topics. The key idea when using the library is that you are getting quality over quantity. You can efficiently find high quality information from a variety of credible resources in the library.
Searching the Web
Although many people first go to the Web for information, it is not always the best place for what you need.
Most information on the Web does not go through a review process.
Anyone can publish on the Web without passing the content through an editor. Pages might be written by an expert on the topic, a journalist, a disgruntled consumer or even a child.
Information on the Web is not organized.
Some directory services, like Yahoo, provide links to sites in subject lists. But there are too many Web pages for any single directory service to organize and index.
Most information on the Web is not comprehensive.
Rarely will you be able to use a search engine on the Web to collect information about your topic from earlier decades and different types of sources.
Most information on the Web is not permanent.
Some well-maintained sites are updated with very current information, but others may be dated or disappear altogether without notice.
Some information on the Web is not free.
Many pages are free, but some commercial sites will charge a fee to access their information.
The Web can be a good research source for:
The Web is a good tool for finding information, but it is usually not the best place to begin academic research.
Think you know this stuff? Let’s find out.
Each word or phrase below describes either the Web or the Library. Decide which answer you think is best without looking at the answer key below.
1. Call Numbers (Web? or Library?)
2. Latest News (Web? or Library?)
3. Quantity over Quality (Web? or Library?)
4. Part of the Internet (Web? or Library?)
5. Organized (Web? or Library?)
6. No review process (Web? or Library?)
7. Starting place for research (Web? or Library?)
8. Search engines (Web? or Library?)
9. Comes with assistance (Web? or Library?)
All right! You’ve completed the first section—Types of Information Sources—and should be able to…
Answer key: 1 – Library; 2 – Web; 3 – Web; 4 – Web; 5 – Library; 6 – Web; 7 – Library; 8 – Web; 9 – Library
Self-Test
1. The term “information literacy” refers to (choose one)
a. the ability to read.
b. becoming a savvy user of information.
c. a library service.
d. a magazine.
2. Does each statement best describe information in the library or information on the
Web? (choose one answer for each section)
a. Information is not organized. (Library) (Web)
b. Information is selected through a review process (Library) (Web)
c. Information is in a permanent collection. (Library) (Web)
3. Why would you use a periodical index? (choose one)
a. To check your mail.
b. To search the Web.
c. To find citations to articles on a topic.
d. To search for materials available at a specific library.
4. The latest news can be found using this source. (choose one)
a. Journals.
b. Library catalog.
c. Web.
d. Magazines.
5. Who publishes information on the Web? (choose all that apply)
a. Students.
b. Faculty.
c. People in foreign countries.
d. Libraries.
e. Government agencies.
f. Universities.
g. Companies.
h. Non-profit organizations.
Answer key:
1. The correct response is B. Information literacy is one of life’s most important skills.
2. a. The Web has a lot of information that’s pretty unorganized.
b. Editors, reviewers, and librarians all review materials collected by the library.
c. Libraries collect information from previous decades and centuries. They keep it permanently for people to refer back to.
3. The correct response is C. You would find citations and often abstracts of articles. Sometimes the full text of articles is also available.
4. C is the right answer. Breaking news can be found on the Web.
5. You should have chosen them all. All sorts of people publish on the Web.
