The number of information sources available to students and researchers is vast. Before starting your research, think about what type of information you need for this research.
Information can come from anywhere: books, journals, magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias, web pages, government documents to name a few.
You need to be aware of the type and source of information you gather and who the intended audience is since not all information you find will be correct, accurate or appropriate for your paper.
The following sources are the ones that most students will use:
Books will provide you with a good general overview of a topic, but are generally not as up to date as the other sources.
Journal articles from scholarly journals and magazines tend to deal with more specific topics than books, and are usually more up to date.
Multimedia collections at Queen's Library are comprised of DVDs and online (streaming) videos.
Primary sources are original sources, in which witnesses or first recorders describe a time, person or event.
Web pages contain all kinds of information, including grey literature, video, audio, and statistics. The currency and quality of the information varies greatly.
Credit: Library Skills Tutorial. TMU
There are different tools available to locate information in these sources, depending on which type of source you wish to use.