Comparing Various Types of Sources

It is often to a student's advantage to use a variety of types of resources. Each type of resource has its own strengths and weaknesses. Combining a variety of types of sources reduces the risk a student's paper will be marred by a specific weakness common to one type of resource.

Types of Sources
  Reference Books Magazines Journals Internet Newspapers
Advantages Short
Direct
Main ideas
Bibliographies
 Details
B/W photos
 Up-to-date
Short
Easy to read
Illustrations
 Up-to-date
Short
Scholarly
Bibliographies
 Up-to-date
Short
Illustrations
Easy to read
 Up-to-date
Short
Easy to read
Disadvantages Lack details
 Take time to
digest
Mixed quality
 May be superficial
Mixed quality
 Technical
 Mixed quality
 Limited to brief notices
current events only
Value Overview
Identify resources
 Target details
Supplement
 Help to
understand
 Current research
 Overview
Supplement
 Current events

This chart identifies some advantages, disadvantages, and value of using reference works, books, magazines, journals, newspapers, and the Internet as source material .

 

ENGL1010 Composition I