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ACMB01: Find Resources for your Final Essay

A library guide to assist you in finding the resources you need to complete your ACMB01 assignments

Compare Information Sources

Best For: 

  • Comprehensive information about the topic
  • Background and historical information
  • Bibliography of other sources

The Information:

  • Often places an event into some sort of historical context
  • Can provide broad overviews of an event
  • Can be intended for a broad audience depending on the book, ranging from scholars to a general audience

Watch For:

  • Dated information
  • Content level can range from general public to academic
  • Bias or slant (dependent on author)

 

Adapted from: Undergraduate Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Best For:

  • In-depth information
  • Articles written by experts
  • Recent research on a topic
  • Bibliographies of other sources

The Information:

  • Is often theoretical, carefully analyzing the impact of an event on society, culture, and public policy
  • Is often peer reviewed/refereed
  • Is often narrow in scope
  • Is intended for other scholars, researchers, professionals, and university students in the field

Watch For:

  • Terminology and depth/detail of articles may be difficult to understand by novices
  • Dated information (sort your results by date if you are looking for the most recent information, as some journals extend back several decades)

Definition: Grey literature is information produced by organizations outside of academic or commercial publishing channels. It is produced by government, academic, business, and industry; the main difference is that it is not controlled by commercial publishing.

Best For:

  • Specialized information related to a particular discipline or profession
  • Current information
  • Some bibliographies

The Information:

  • Extremely varied; can include but is not limited to reports (pre-prints, preliminary progress and advanced reports, technical reports, statistical reports, memoranda, state-of-the art reports, market research reports, etc.), theses, conference proceedings

Watch For:

  • Can be difficult to determine basic information, such as author, publication date, or publishing body

Best For:

  • News, current events
  • Government information
  • Grey literature
  • Varied points of view on a topic
  • Statistics
  • Company information

The Information:

  • Is primarily provided through resources like news sites when related to a specific event
  • Explains the who, what, when, and where of an event
  • Is intended for a general audience

Watch For:

  • Credibility and accuracy cannot be assured (check for author credentials, publication date, etc.)
  • Information may be highly biased
  • Sources not always cited

Best For:

  • Current events 
  • Popular opinion
  • Historical event (and popular opinion held)

The Information: 

  • The who, when, where, why, what of particular events 
  • Often considered a primary source 
  • Can be brief in many cases 
  • Published frequently 
  • Sometimes author is not listed

Watch For: 

  • Not peer reviewed
  • Content not necessarily academic 
  • Beware of bias (right/left politically)