Your instructor will often specify the type of sources you should use for your assignment, so be sure to read the instructions carefully. Here are some ways you can use different types of sources to support your arguments:
- Encyclopedias & Dictionaries: Also known as Reference Entries in the NOVA Library's catalog, these types of publications will give you an overview of your topic and definitions for key terms and concepts.
- Books: Books typically provide an in-depth look at a specific topic or a comprehensive introduction to a subject. You can find print books as well as ebooks in the NOVA Library's catalog.
- Articles: Articles are shorter works than books that also have a faster turnaround time from the time they are written until they get published. In many fields, this can mean that the information is more up-to-date than you may find in books. There are many types of articles. For example, you may find:
- research articles that are a comprehensive report of a single research study,
- literature reviews that take a comprehensive look at recent publications on a topic,
- or opinion pieces where experts on a topic give their personal, informed opinions on controversial issues or new directions in the field.
- Websites: Information of all sorts is freely available online, however, it does require a little more evaluation on your part to ensure that it is accurate and coming from a reputable source. Google Scholar can be helpful if you are looking for reports from government and academic institutions, as well as a place to find scholarly articles.
- Multimedia: Some projects may require you to include images, videos, or audio files. These types of sources can be found in many NOVA Library databases.
Many of these sources can be accessed through the NOVA library catalog and databases. You can also learn more about research sources from the Purdue Online Writing Lab.
You will need to find information resources that are credible and easily cited for your assignments. Credible information sources share several things in common and it is generally easy to tell:
- who wrote the work,
- where the work was published,
- when the work was produced, and
- the purpose of the writing.
Authors of credible information also acknowledge and list the other works they used in their research. Primary sources are another type of resource that is more frequently used in subjects like history.
When in doubt, ask your NOVA librarians for help.