Why are pages in this guide organized by source type?

Because information is created for different purposes and audiences.

Understanding what source types to look for is a helpful research strategy!

Don't forget: you still need to assess every source to determine if it is current enough, authoritative, relevant, and reliable.

• Reference sources:
  • (articles from academic encyclopedias) are written by academics and they provide factual background information on a topic. Reference is a good place to go for general info on laws and issues.
• News sources:
  • are written or created by journalists. News articles and programs report on and/or analyze current issues in our communities. Newspapers, magazines and news programs are a good source for news and analysis on current issues.
• Opinion sources:
  • are written by stakeholders on key issues and their purpose is to persuade an audience to think, feel or act a particular way. Opinion sources may be written by editorial boards (editorials), advocates, professionals, politicians, and individuals. They may be designated as editorials, op-eds, commentary, or viewpoints.
• Scholarly literature:
  • provides authoritative and reliable research and theory on criminal justice issues, policies and practices. The goal of scholarship is to further knowledge in a field of academic study and professional practice.
• Government and other web sources:
  • are a good source of information for current statistics, government information, programs and organizations, think tanks, and local perspectives on current topics.  As with all sources, be sure to ASSESS each source for reliability and credibility.