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Communication Studies 046 (Eisenberg-Todd): Types of Sources

Information Timeline

 

The Information Timeline

Graphic showing timeline of information

Scholarly vs. Popular

Why the Library?

 
Why Library Databases?
 
 Library Databases:
  • Are paid for by the Library so that you can have free access to scholarly information.
  • Content is evaluated for authority and accuracy.
  • Information is stable, meaning it doesn't disappear after a period of time.
  • Through subject pages it is easy to find databases with information that relates specifically to your topic
  • Offer options to quickly limit or expand your search results to find the best articles for your topic.

The Internet:

  • Many sources are free, but others require you to pay.
  • Information is not evaluated for accuracy and may be incorrect, misleading or biased.
  • Websites come and go.
  • Is not organized.
  • Search engines (like Google) often return an overwhelming number of results.  These search engines offer no quick way of narrowing your results to ensure they relate to your topic.
 
Adapted from: