Below is a list of the most commonly cited resources used for research.
Scholarly Peer-Reviewed Journals
Articles are reviewed and approved for publication by scholars/experts in the field.
Examples: Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Journal of Accountancy
Trade Journal
Articles are written and read by professionals in a specific industry.
Examples: Harvard Business Review, Chronicle of Higher Education
Popular Magazines
Articles are intended to casually inform, entertain, or present an opinion.
Examples: Time, Fortune, Vanity Fair
Newspapers
Published daily, newspapers are often the first to report a newsworthy story.
Examples: New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today
Books and Ebooks
Books provide broad and foundational coverage of a topic.
Examples: How to Win Friends and Influence People, Freakonomics
Encyclopedias & Handbooks
Encyclopedias & handbooks feature introductory overviews of topics.
Examples: Encyclopedia of Social Theory, The Persuasion Handbook
Primary Sources
Primary sources allow researchers to get as close as possible to original ideas, events and empirical studies as possible. Such sources may include expositions of creative ideas, first hand or contemporary accounts of events, publication of the results of empirical observations or studies, and other items that may form the basis of further research. Examples include:
Secondary Sources
Secondary sources analyze, review or restate information in primary resources or other secondary resources. Even sources presenting facts or descriptions about events are secondary unless they are based on direct participation or observation. Moreover, secondary sources often rely on other secondary sources and standard disciplinary methods to reach results, and they provide the principle sources of analysis about primary sources. Examples include:
Tertiary Sources
Tertiary resources provide overviews of topics by synthesizing information gathered from other resources. Tertiary resources often provide data in a convenient form or provide information with context by which to interpret it. Examples include: