Types of Sources
Ask a Librarian
About This Guide
Information sources come in many formats, each with a specific audience, purpose, and publication timeline. Identifying these formats, especially in websites and databases, can sometimes be tricky.
This guide will introduce common source types and offer tips for recognizing them when searching in Search@UW and other databases.
| Source | Visual Characteristics | Author(s) | Purpose | Audience | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Newspaper (Periodical) |
short; contains byline; no references; contains ads | written by journalists or staff writers; reviewed by an editor | to inform or comment on current local, national & international events | general public | New York Times; Green Bay Press Gazette; The Washington Post |
Magazines (Periodical) |
brief to medium length articles; no bibliography; extensive advertising | written by journalists or staff writers; reviewed by an editor | to inform, persuade, or entertain depending on audience | general public; special interest | Time; Newsweek; Psychology Today; GQ; Glamour |
Trade Publications (Periodical) |
brief to medium length articles; may contain references | written by staff writers, professionals, or experts in a profession or trade | to inform or report on industry news, trends, products, etc. | professionals within a field such as marketing, human resources, teaching, etc. | Nursing in Practice, Food Engineering, Publishers Weekly |
Scholarly Journals (Periodical) |
long articles with a methodology, discussion and conclusion; abstract; language is specialized to field; contains a long list of references | written by scholars or experts in a field; peer-reviewed | to inform, present original research, and communicate formally with other scholars | scholars, researchers, and experts in a field | Journal of Psychology; Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion; History and Anthropology |
Academic Books |
comprehensive and long with chapters; has a table of contents and index; extensive list of references | written by scholars or experts; reviewed by an editor in the field; published by an academic press | to inform, analyze, or communicate broad understanding or in-depth information | scholars, researchers and experts in a field; occasionally an educated audience | Wild Hope: On the Front Lines of Conservation Success; Evidence-based Practice in Clinical Social Work |
Reference Books |
short, authoritative entries; may contain a list of references; may identify an author | written by scholars or experts; reviewed by editor(s) | to inform and provide a brief overview of a topic | ranges from experts to general public | Encyclopedia of Human Development; The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English |
Government Documents |
ranges from short, brief reports to lengthy multi-volume items | written and reviewed by a group of researchers or government office | to inform, report, or record (ex: formal court proceedings); provides statistics or in-depth information on an issue | scholars, experts, lawmakers, and the general public | Congressional Record; Code of Federal Regulations; Occupational Outlook Handbook |
Multimedia |
radio, television, images, audio (podcasts), films, etc. | filmographers, documentarians, radio, television stations and networks, and general public | to inform, persuade, and/or entertain | typically intended for the general public | Audio of NPR segment, Race: The Power of an Illusion (documentary), Lost |
Websites |
ranges from a few webpages of content to several webpages; usually identified by the domain: .com/.org/.edu/.gov | anyone -- includes general public | to inform, persuade, entertain, or promote misinformation | anyone -- ranges from general public to experts | World Health Organization -- who.int; SportsBlog.com; Buzzfeed.com; American Diabetes Association -- diabetes.org |
Other Sources
The sources listed above are among the most common found when researching, but there are several other types of sources you may come across.
- Infographics: visual representation of information or data to convey information quickly and easily
- Example: the Library's Lateral Reading Infographic
- Reviews: a written critique of another item -- book, art, music, game, journal, film, etc.
- Example: review of Being a Beast from the New York Times
- Raw Data: data that has not been analyzed or original data
- Example: data about the United States from the World Bank
- Letters to the Editor: letter sent to a publication expressing concern, agreement, disagreement, or commentary from readers
- Example: newspapers like the New York Times typically publish letters to the editor
- Social Media: websites/apps where users create and share information, photos, videos, etc.
- Example: Facebook Instagram are popular examples
- Interview: meeting or conversation where one party asks questions of another to gain information/insight
- Example: NPR interview with President Obama
- Lecture/Speech: formal address delivered to an audience
- Example: video to Winona LaDuke's speech entitled Grassroots Strategies for Mitigating Climate Change
Refresher: What's a periodical?
A periodical is a newspaper, magazine (popular & trade), or journal published at regular intervals (daily, weekly, monthly, every 6 months, etc.) Here are some examples.
| Academic Journal: Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) |
Popular Magazine: Mother Jones |
Trade Magazine: Food Engineering |
Newspaper: Green Bay Press-Gazette |
 |
 |
 |
 |