SLS1320 - Honors Seminar - Sponholtz

Different information types serve different purposes and are useful in different contexts. Understanding when to use each type can help you find the most reliable, appropriate, and effective sources for your research needs. This page explores various information types and how they can support different research needs.

Coverage: Provides comprehensive coverage of a topic, exploring both its broad scope and in-depth details.

Currency: Might take a few years to be published, so it will not have the most up-to-date information.

Usage: To understand a topic, including its background and history.

How to find: Use the library catalog to locate books and eBooks in the library collection.

Coverage: Provides clear, reliable summaries of key concepts, terms, and historical events about a topic or subject area. Designed to look up entries as opposed to reading continuously.

Currency: Reference books usually take a while to be published, so the latest research or discoveries may not be reflected in the entries.

Usage: To quickly understand a topic or term. Similar to Wikipedia in that it provides introductory information, but written by experts.

How to find: Use the library catalog to locate print an online reference books in the library collection. The library database Credo Reference contains many online reference books.

Coverage: Details an original research project or a review of published research on a topic, usually with a narrow and specific focus. Written for experts, so expect to see more advanced vocabulary and specialized terminology.

Currency: Newly published journal articles are the most up-to-date findings on a topic. However, when something new arises, it may take a year or longer for high-quality research to be conducted and published.

Usage: To understand the scientific findings and the scholarly conversation on a topic. Use when your instructor has requested scholarly or peer reviewed sources.

How to find: Use library databases to locate free, full-text articles. Google Scholar can also be used, but not all results include the full text.

Coverage: Provides news, trends, expert insights, and practical information relevant to people working in a specific field. Aimed at working professionals.

Currency: Very current, depending on the frequency of the publications.

Usage: To understand issues and trends important to a field; to see how specific issues are affecting and industry or profession.

How to find: Trade publications are included in most of the library databases. You can choose to limit your search to trade publications on the advanced search screen or in the search results. These are also sometimes included in professional association memberships.

Coverage: Provides an introduction to current issues and topics, aimed at a general audience. Usually shorter and may have pictures and graphics.

Currency: Very current, as most magazines are published once or twice a month.

Usage: To understand the context of a topic, as well as understand public opinion, societal trends, and cultural movements at a given time.

How to find: Magazines are included in most of the library databases, especially Flipster.

Coverage: Provides current news, events, and commentary on a wide range of topics. Articles are typically brief and represent the current perspective on an event, meaning later articles may provide updated details.

Currency: Very timely; most newspapers publish daily, and online news stories are published throughout the day.

Usage: For very recent news and developments; to learn about local information. Historical newspapers can provide a snapshot of public opinion and sentiment.

How to find: The library database NewsBank contains news sources throughout the United States. You can also view the New York Times Historical, which has articles from 1851 onward.

Coverage: Varies. Information can be found on almost any topic, but with a variety of depth and credibility.

Currency: Websites can be updated quickly. Reports are usually published using data from at least a year ago.

Usage: Good for statistical information, public policy, and published reports. Websites should be carefully evaluated to determine if they are credible enough for academic research.

How to find: Use search engines. Type site:gov or site:edu to limit your Google searches to more credible sites.

Coverage: Varies. Some videos, podcasts, or images may be short and broad, others may be more in-depth.

Currency: Current varies. Short, superficial videos and images may be produced quickly, but more in-depth investigations may take longer.

Usage: For a more visual explanation of topics, including how to do physical tasks. To learn about topics in a more accessible way.

How to find: Use the library database Films on Demand for instructional videos. Other video sites, like YouTube, require evaluation to determine if they are credible enough for academic research.

Generative AI tools, including ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, and Gemini, have a tendency to hallucinate information, which means it provides information that is plausible but not true. This extends to the sources it may provide. Even if the sources exist, you might not have immediate access to them through our library holdings (books and articles can be requested but usually take at least a week).

Submitting assignments and papers using sources that do not exist is academic dishonesty and can have serious negative consequences.