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Selecting the Right Source
Newspapers, Magazines, Journals, Books & WWW Resources
It is important to think critically about possible sources of information for a paper or project. Who has written the item? Why? What would be credible to a professor or colleague? There are many other questions to consider when doing research.
Many students are particularly confused about when it is appropriate to use newspaper articles, magazine articles, journal articles or books for their papers. And what about World Wide Web resources?
For more information about selecting and using these various sources, follow through these pages:
Check with a librarian for additional help, if necessary.
For help with getting a focus on your topic, try How to Narrow or Broaden Your Topic.
Newspapers
- Example: Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, La Opinion.
Audience: General public
Coverage: Any subject of interest; newsworthy events; local coverage
Written By: Professional journalists; some articles contributed by specialists
Timeliness: up-to-date coverage (one-half day to a week)
Length: 50-2,000 words
Content: Dependent upon the type of article: analysis, statistics, graphics, photographs, editorial opinion; no bibliography or list of sources
Slant: Tends to be mainstream/neutral
Use newspapers for:
- Local statistical information, such as the number of children growing up in single- parent homes in Los Angeles, or the divorce rate in New York.
- Local coverage, such as information on how the Los Angeles City Council has addressed the issue of welfare for single women with children.
- A recent story about single parents with AIDS.
To locate newspaper stories , search: E-Resources by Type (includes online access to the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal), or Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe.
Magazines
- Example: Time, Life, Vogue, Vanity fair, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, Popular Science.
Audience: General public to knowledgeable layperson
Coverage: Popular topics; current affairs
Written By: Professional journalists; not necessarily specialists in the field; poets and writers of fiction, essayists
Timeliness: Very current coverage (one week to several months)
Length: 250 - 5,000 words
Content: General discussion; editorial opinion; graphics; photographs; advertisements; usually no bibliography or list of sources
Slant: May reflect the editorial bias / slant of the magazine
Try a magazine for:
- A cover story on the state of marriage in the US
- An opinion essay on latchkey children.
- Profiles and rankings of Fortune 500 companies with the best childcare programs and benefits.
To locate articles, search: Academic Search Complete; print version of Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature, or ask a reference librarian for suggestions.
Journals
- Example: American Political Science Review, Journal of the American Medical Association, American Sociological Review, Journal of Psychology
Audience: Scholars, specialists, and students
Coverage: Research results, frequently theoretical in nature
Written By: Specialists in the field; usually scholars with PhDs
Timeliness: Current coverage (6 months - 3 years )
Length: 2,500 - 10,000 words
Content: Detailed examination; statistical analysis; graphics; bibliography usually included
Slant: Supposed to present objective/neutral viewpoint; may be difficult to comprehend because of technical language or jargon; often sponsored by professional associations
Try a journal for:
- Case studies of children growing up in single-parent homes.
- Comparison study of economic stability in single-father versus single-mother homes.
- Psychological analysis of children who experience bitter custody battles.
To locate articles, search: Academic Search Complete, PsycINFO, or other computerized indexes; print indexes such as Women Studies Abstracts and Alternative Press Index ; or ask a reference librarian for suggestions.
Books
- Example: College Calculus with Analytic geometry, Wealth Without Risk, DOS for Dummies, Closing of the American Mind
Audience: Ranges from the general public to specialists
Coverage: In-depth coverage of a topic; compilation of scholarly articles on a topic
Written By: Specialists/scholars
Timeliness: Currency varies (2 years plus)
Length: 150 pages plus
Content: varies from general discussion to detailed analysis; usually includes extensive bibliography
slant: Perspective entirely dependent on author; may be sponsored or published by professional associations
World Wide Web Resources
- Example:
Welcome to the Whitehouse
Scholarly Societies Project
Ladies Against Women
Audience: General public; children to senior citizens; knowledgeable layperson; scholars; anyone
Coverage: Popular topics; personal information; current affairs; government information; research; scholarly information; fun and games; and more.
Written By: Anyone: professional journalists; children; teenagers (high school students); members of general public; scholars and researchers; poets and writers of fiction; essayists; college students; advocates and activists; and more.
Timeliness: Varies wildly: may be very current coverage or very out-of-date information, or undated.
Length: Can vary greatly.
Content: Anything: general discussion; editorial opinion; graphics; photographs; advertisements; statistical analysis; detailed analysis; fact; fiction; fraud; and more.
Slant: Depends: May reflect the editorial bias / slant of the web page creator; may be objective or neutral; may be geared for academic or professional audiences; may be unsupported personal opinion, who knows?
Try a web resource for:
- reviewing legislation on family issues
- finding research or other information about single parent families
- locating listservs and newsgroups for single parents
To locate web resources , use one of these www search tools or click on the "search" button on your browser to select a search tool.
For assistance with searching the web, see Understanding & Working with WWW Search Tools, Quick Questions to Ask About Search Engines, and, WWW Search Strategy Tips.
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