Source: Giovanni (Flickr)
What kind of sources should I use for research?
Whatever sources you use, be sure to apply evaluation criteria beforehand and make sure you include the correct citation of each source within your paper and on your works cited page. When searching in Primo or in the MCTC Library databases, recognize the differences between research-based articles and opinion (commentaries and reviews)!
Primo: Search many type of resources at once: the library catalog for books, databases for articles, ebooks, and more. Refine your search to narrow down more specifically to your topic. Go directly to Primo.
Books: These are available through MCTC in print or electronic versions. These can be located in Primo by selecting the magnifying glass icon and choosing "Library Catalog - Maysville CTC All".
Databases: These are authoritative resources that index citations or full-text availability of articles, often in PDF format, on a wide variety of subjects. Databases can also contain additional formats and information content such as photographs, graphs, videos or audio files. The MCTC library subscribes to many databases, such as ProQuest, and provides access to EBSCOHost through the Kentucky Virtual Library. You may find specific literature resources within Literary Reference Center Plus.
Newspapers: These are available in the library in print and through backdates and online through our Newspaper Resources guide.
Government documents: Many such documents are available online through trusted websites such as the U.S. GPO and Census.gov. States and local municipalities also publish information online.
Audiovisual resources: Videos, DVDs, books on CD and audio CDs are available to check out at your campus libraries. MCTC Library also provides online A/V resources such as Encyclopedia Britannica Media Collection and Library of Congress Digital Collection.
Primary documents: These include letters, diaries, interviews and other first-hand accounts. You can gather these from a variety of sources, including through your own interviews.
Other websites: Be cautious when using Internet sources but some you may use, which are available freely, include MythWeb, Encyclopedia of Myths, and Ancient History Encyclopedia.
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Scholarly & Research Journal |
Professional, Trade & Industry |
Commentary & Opinion |
Newspapers |
Popular Magazines |
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Examples |
Advances in Building Energy Research American Journal of Psychology Clinical Journal of Nursing Oncology |
Cabinet Maker Nursing American Libraries |
New Yorker Mother Jones Atlantic |
New York Times Herald-Leader Wall Street Journal |
O: The Oprah Magazine Rolling Stone Time
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Values & Uses |
Reports of original research; in-depth analysis of issues related to the discipline; Academic-level book reviews; Refereed or peer-reviewed |
Current trends, news and products in a field; Company, organization and biographical information; Statistics, forecasts; Employment and career information; Book and product reviews |
Commentaries on social and political issues; Some in-depth analysis; Political viewpoints, liberal, conservative and other; Sometimes acts as a voice of activist organization; Speeches and interviews; Book reviews |
Current information; Hard news; Local and regional information; Classified ads, Editorials; Speeches; Book reviews; Primary source for information on events |
Current events; Hot topics; Primary source for analysis of popular culture; Short articles; Generally not much depth; Interviews |
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Language |
Academic; Can be very technical; Uses the language of the discipline |
Written for practitioners; Can use jargon extensively |
Written for a general educated audience |
Written for a general educated audience |
Non-technical language |
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Authors |
Researchers, academics, professors, scholars, etc. |
Practitioners in the field or journalists with subject expertise |
Extremely variable; Can be academics, journalists, representatives of various “groups” |
Journalists |
Generally, journalists and freelance writers |
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Sources |
Footnotes and bibliographies; Often extensive documentation |
Occasional and brief bibliographies; Sources sometimes cited in text |
Occasionally cite sources in text or provide short bibliographies |
Rarely cite any texts in full |
Rarely cite any sources |
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Publisher |
Universities, scholarly presses or academic/research organizations |
Commercial publishers or professional and trade associations |
Commercial publishers or non-profit organizations |
Commercial publishers |
Commercial publishers |
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Graphics |
Graphs, charts, formulas, depending on the discipline; no glossy or color advertisements |
Photographs, charts, tables, illustrations of all sorts; Occasional glossy advertisements |
Wide variety of appearance; Some very plain, others have gloss |
Pictures, charts, advertisements |
Very glossy, Full of color and various advertisements |
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Access Tools Contact your Librarian for more information! |
Library resources/databases such as EBSCOhost (Academic Search Complete), ProQuest (Research Library), Gale Cengage collections (Academic One-File) |
Business databases such as ProQuest Career and Technical Education, Vocation and Career Collection, and Criminal Justice Collection |
Databases such Gale Cengage Popular Culture Collection, Opposing Viewpoints in Context and EBSCOhost TOPICSearch; Limited content freely available online in some cases |
Databases such as ProQuest Alt+Presswatch, Gale Cengage Newsstand, EBSCOhost Newspaper Source; Limited content freely available online in some cases |
Library resources/databases such as EBSCOhost (Academic Search Complete), ProQuest (Research Library and Alt+Presswatch), Gale Cengage collections (Academic One-File); Limited content freely available online in some cases |