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Research 101

Types of Sources

There are all kinds of resources available through the library, from books and magazines to academic articles and films.

When doing research for a paper or assignment, both your topic and the assignment requirements will determine which types of sources to look for.

Here's a list of what you can find through the library. 

Types of sources
& why to use them

How to use for research

Where & how to find them

Examples

Background information 
(Reference sources)

Get an overview of a topic.

Find small amounts of info on several topics.

Get ideas for other sources to use.

 

* Search for your topic or keyword, then read one or a few short articles.

* Look at the Bibliography/Works Cited for additional sources.

 

- Discovery Search

- General Reference & Research databases

- Reference books (dictionaries, encyclopedias) 

- Internet search* 

 

  • Research Starters
  • Encyclopedia Britannica
  • Merriam-Webster
  • Wikipedia*

Books & eBooks
from the library

Find a collection of articles on a topic/theme, or read an in-depth exploration of a question, issue, event, etc.

 

* Review the Table of Contents and Index to see if the book is relevant for your research.

* Read the full book, or choose certain chapters. 

 

- Library Catalog 

- Library eBooks

- Discovery Search 
(filter by Source Type)

 

  • Biographies
  • History books
  • Current events
  • Books on science, art, tech, etc.

Academic articles 
(Scholarly journals)

Read about current research and knowledge in an academic field. 

Get specialized information that’s not available with a web search.

Research articles are peer reviewed to ensure accuracy.

 

* Read the Abstract (summary) first, to see if the article is relevant for your research.

* Look at the Bibliography/Works Cited for additional sources.

 

- Discovery Search

- Subject databases

- Google scholar 

 

- Tip: Use the “Peer Reviewed” filter in library databases.

 

  • Journal of International Dental & Medical Research
  • Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education

Industry publications 
(Trade journals)

Read about current research and knowledge in a technical or professional field.

Research articles are peer reviewed to ensure accuracy.

 

* Read the Abstract (summary) first, to see if the article is relevant for your research.

* Look at the Bibliography/Works Cited for additional sources.

 

- Discovery Search

- Business databases

- STEM databases

 

- Tip: Filter by “Source type: Trade Publications”

 

  • Automotive News
  • Concrete International
  • Microwave Journal
  • Optometry Times

News sources

Read about recent events, pop culture, and emerging knowledge.

Get multiple perspectives on certain issues in opinion pieces.

Research historical information in older publications. 

 

* Use for information and perspectives on current events. 

* Be on the lookout for bias; learn to distinguish facts from opinions.

 

- Internet search*

- News databases

- Discovery Search

 

- Tip: Filter by “Source type: News & Magazines”

 

  • Newspapers
  • Magazines
  • Blogs*
  • Social media*
  • YouTube, TikTok*

* Be sure to carefully assess online content such as websites, blogs, and social media for accuracy and bias. Unlike library resources, some online information doesn’t have a reliable process for fact-checking or editing. 

Why Use Databases?

This short video from Yavapai College explains what's so great about library databases.

Keyword Searching

  • When searching in library databases, it works best to type in essential concepts, or "keywords" (instead of full sentences).
  • Keywords can be individual words or short phrases. They represent the main ideas of your research topic. You may need to do some background reading in reference sources before coming up with useful keywords.
  • You can combine or exclude keywords when searching library databases using the words AND, OR, NOT in the Advanced Search options. 
    • For example, if you want to research: How does caffeine affect the memory of college students?
    • You could do a keywork search for: caffeine AND memory AND students
  • Once you identify a keyword or two, you can also come up with synonyms, or words with similar meanings. Different keywords will give you different results on the same topic, so it's a good idea to try out different ones. Mix and match terms depending on results.