What kind of source should you use in a research assignment?
- Scholarly sources like journal articles and conference papers have the most in depth research
- Trade publications are written for an audience of professionals in a specific field
- Popular sources are written for the general public
Scholarly sources are generally the most appropriate for research assignments.
Scholarly
Example: Environmental Research Letters (Scholarly Journal)
J. Hollingsworth, B. Copeland and J.X. Johnson, "Are e-scooters polluters? The environmental impacts of shared dockless electric scooters," Environmental Research Letters, vol. 14, 2019. doi: 1748-9326/ab2da8 [Go to article]
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- Types include: Journal articles, conference papers, some books
- Audience: Researchers, students, professionals
- Authors: Researchers, professionals
- References: Almost always
- Editorial review: Reviewed by editors and often other researchers before publication
- Structure: Usually includes an abstract (summary), introduction, description of research methods, results, and conclusion.
- Ads: Minimal or none
- More examples: Journal of Heat Transfer, Advanced Materials, Nanoscale
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Trade
Example: SAE Mobilus News (Professional Association Website)
M. Miller. "Bird to expand to over 50 cities in Europe, roll out Bird Zero." Available: https://saemobilus.sae.org/power/news/2019/04/bird-to-expand-to-over-50-cities-in-europe-roll-out-bird-zero (Accessed Aug. 6, 2019).
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- Types include: Magazines, websites
- Audience: Mainly professionals
- Authors: Staff writers, professionals
- References: Sometimes
- Editorial review: Reviewed by magazine.website editors
- Ads: Yes
- More examples: See the current trends page for a list of Engineering trade magazines
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Popular
Example: CBS News (Website)
I. Ivanova. "E-scooters are worse for the environment than many claim, study indicates." CBSnews.com. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/scooters-are-worse-for-the-environment-than-many-think (Accessed Aug. 6, 2019).
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- Types include: Magazines, newspapers, websites
- Audience: General public
- Authors: Often journalists
- References: Rarely (sometimes links)
- Ads: Yes
- More examples: Toronto Star, The Economist, Huffington Post, CNet
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