Types of information
There are many different types of information but not all are suitable for academic assignments
See: Types of Information [video]
In SEES you are required to use primary resources. Primary resources provide a first hand account or evidence of a study whereas secondary resources provide an analysis or interpretation by someone other than the researcher, for example a reporter or journalist.
The following are appropriate primary resources:
- Academic or peer reviewed journal articles - find these through Library Search
- Reports, policy and issue documents from government departments and other organisations - especially useful for specific issues and local topics where the published literature may be lacking. Such documentation (known as "grey literature" is not published in commercial publications and can't be found via the Library. In this case it is appropriate to use Google, see Web Searching
Newspaper articles are not a primary resource and use should be limited to the provision of examples that back up evidence from a primary resource.
Avoid articles from general magazines or websites. These do not the quality, reliability or authority of a primary resource.
Ensure resources are up to date
What is a 'scholarly' or 'peer reviewed' article?
Scholarly articles are written by academics or researchers describing the research they have conducted. They are known as ‘peer reviewed’ articles when they are reviewed by discipline experts for academic quality and rigour before they are published. Scholarly and ‘peer reviewed’ articles always contain academic references and a bibliography.
To find scholarly articles in Library Search, select Journal Articles from the drop down menu. Enter your topic keywords in the search box and tick "peer reviewed journals" in the refine search column on the left hand side of the results page.
source = wileyasiablog.com, https://www.flickr.com/photos/78211992@N05/8511178883/lightbox/