LibGuides: FM114 and Beyond: How do I choose an information source?

Comparison of information sources

Format	Why?	Why Not?
Books, E-Books	For an overview of a topic, for a detailed discussion of a topic, books are usually proofread, edited, and fact-checked more extensively than other types of sources	Not for very recent topics, or very specific topics
Magazine and newspaper articles	For more current or detailed information, or if you cannot find any books on your topic	Not for broad overview of a topic, articles from general (as opposed to scholarly) periodicals won't have bibliographies referring you to other related sources. or acknowledging the sources the author used.
Websites	Very current, many different perspectives & opinions, very specific topic coverage, easy and cheap to find information	Internet information may -- or may not -- be reliable, authoritative. Hard to tell who or why someone writes about a topic. Information online may be changed frequently (e.g. Wikipedia) or be gone completely when you go back to it a second time
Books and magazines outside the FIT Library: Interlibrary Loan (ILL) or visiting another library	Item not available at FIT library	Item might actually be available in another format (e.g. online through FIT Databases instead of printed book or magazine format), not for things you need right away

This chart is just an outline of issues to consider when using a specific source or format of information; there's no single right or wrong answer to the question "what's a good source?".

The difference between scholarly journals, magazines, and trade publications

CRITERIA	MAGAZINES / NEWSPAPERS	TRADE JOURNALS / TRADE NEWSPAPERS	SCHOLARLY JOURNALS
Also called:	CONSUMER OR POPULAR MAGAZINES	PROFESSIONAL JOURNALS	ACADEMIC, REFEREED, OR PEER REVIEWED JOURNALS
Appearance	magazines: glitzy cover; glossy paper; lots of color photos & graphics newspapers: newsprint; photos & graphics many advertisements	industrial/ professional motif on cover usually glossy paper but may be newsprint; may have color photos & graphics ads aimed at those in industry or profession	plain cover often plain paper; if illustrated, usually graphs & charts with little color few, if any ads
Audience	general public (often sold in stores & on newsstands)	members of specific industry or profession	scholars, researchers, students, professors
Content	usually short unsigned articles without bibliographies written by magazine or newspaper staff or by freelance writers	short to medium length articles; rarely include bibliographies; may be signed; written by staff or contributing authors involved in the industry or profession industry information, news, products, techniques, statistics; often job ads	long articles with abstracts at beginning & extensive footnotes & bibliographies; use language of the discipline; authors always indicated & are scholars/researchers in field research projects including methodology and theory
Accountability	general editors of magazine or newspaper review articles	general editors of journal review articles; editors often have experience &/or education within industry or profession often published by trade association	articles reviewed by board of scholars in subject field before accepted for publication (hence, peer-reviewed); publication editors are usually scholars in field as well. often published by professional organization or university
Purpose	primarily to produce profit for publisher; also may be to sell ad products, entertain, promote point of view, provide information	provide news and information to people in specific industry or profession	report or inform on original research or experimentation
Other	each issue starts with page one	each issue starts with page one	continuous paging throughout issues of volume
Examples	Business Week, Time Magazine, Rolling Stone, Vogue, New York Times	WWD (Women’s Wear Daily), Global Cosmetic Industry, Advertising Age	Fashion Theory, Journal of Marketing Research, Textile History

NOTES regarding the chart above: Within each category of periodical, there may be some variation. For example, the popular or consumer magazines category includes both magazines with very short articles directed at the general public, such as People Magazine, and magazines with more substantial articles that are geared to a more specific and educated audience, such as The Economist, ArtNews, or Scientific American. Also be aware that each periodical in a category may not have all of the characteristics listed for that category.

FROM: How to Do Research: In the Library and Beyond : A Guide for Students by Marian Weston