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WRIT 1150 Library Toolkit

A guide to lesson plans and learning objects aimed at the research skills needed in WRIT 1150 courses.

Types of Sources

Why does it matter?

  • In your research project or paper, you need to show how your ideas relate to those of others.
  • In most cases, you'll want to use articles from scholarly journals to support your arguments because these are written by experts, include references you can consult, and have been carefully edited.
  • Sometimes, depending on your topic, you'll need to use articles from popular magazines or professional / trade magazines. Be sure to check with your professor that the sources you're using are acceptable for the assignment's requirements.
  • Finally, whatever sources you use, evaluate them carefully: Does the author show bias and does it affect his/her conclusions? Is the information accurate? Does the author support his/her arguments with credible evidence?

A Quick Comparison

  Scholarly Journals Professional  / Trade Magazines Popular Magazines
Example Cover of Victorian Studies Journal Psychology Today cover image Real Simple magazine cover
Authors

Written by experts or specialists, often PhDs

Unpaid

Written by individuals working in a field, sales representatives, or by staff writers with particular expertise

Paid

Written by non-specialists, journalists, staff writers, or freelancers

Paid

Purpose Explore theories, introduce new ideas, present research findings, and add to the body of research in a particular discipline Discuss practical application, cover news in the field, present brief reports on research, and/or offer opinions about trends, events, and industry/forecasts Cover news and current events in a field; report on news of general interest; write profiles of people, places, or events; and express political opinions
Audience Academics and professionals Individuals in the field or industry General readers
Editorial Review

Articles often go through a peer review process: independent experts evaluate the article before it's published

Unpaid

Articles are reviewed by an editor, but not by a panel of experts

Paid

Articles are reviewed by an editor, but not by a panel of experts

Paid

References / Works Cited Articles have extensive footnotes and/or bibliographies Articles may or may not mention sources in the text Articles may or may not mention sources in the text
Ads / Illustrations Minimal advertising, graphics, or illustrations unless relevant to the article (for example, images in art journals or charts in a scientific article) May include profession- or trade specific advertisements; visual material may be to convey information or for aesthetic purposes Extensive advertising, lavish photos, colorful cover to market the magazine
Time to Publication 3 to 6+ months Within weeks / months Within weeks / months
Additional Examples Journal of Politics, Philosophical Quarterly, World Politics, Human Biology, Victorian Studies, Nature Advertising Age, Beverage Industry, Film Comment, Publishers Weekly, Psychology Today, PC Magazine Time, Newsweek, Vogue, National Geographic, The New Yorker, Atlantic Monthly, Cook's Illustrated

What if I need help?

If you need assistance working with sources, please reach out to the library for help.

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