6.3: Locating Information

Find Materials  

The first part of research is asking good questions. Once you have an idea of what you are trying to answer then you can focus on what information you need and where to locate that information. Depending on your information needs, you may use different types of sources in your research, each serving a unique purpose. Some sources help you build background knowledge, others provide data or evidence for your argument, and some offer real-world examples or current perspectives. Learning how to recognize and use these different sources is an important step toward becoming a confident researcher.

Books:

Books can provide in-depth coverage of a topic and often explore ideas in greater detail than shorter sources like articles or websites. They’re especially useful for understanding the context and background of a topic, how it developed over time, key people involved, or the broader social, political, or historical issues connected to it. For example, if your topic is the impact of social media on mental health, a book might explain how social media platforms evolved and how they’ve shaped communication in society.

Books are often written by authors who have expertise or experience in the field they’re writing about. This makes them reliable sources for building a solid foundation of knowledge before diving into more specific studies or data. In the HACC Library, you’ll find both print books and e-books, giving you flexible options for accessing material whether you’re on campus or working from home.

Journal Articles:

In many of your classes, your instructor will ask you to find scholarly articles. These articles are written by scholars who are publishing findings about their research and providing expert analysis. Their goal is to share knowledge and contribute to ongoing conversations in their field. Because scholarly articles are written for other experts, they often include technical language, detailed data, and research methods that can take some time to get used to. However, they are among the most credible and valuable sources you can use, especially when you’re making a specific claim or supporting an argument.

The articles always include in-text citations and a reference list of sources at the end of the article so readers can trace where the information came from. Many are also peer-reviewed, which means that before publication, other experts carefully review the article to make sure the research is accurate, ethical, and well-supported. These articles are good resources to use when you are making a claim. For example, if your topic is about the effects of social media and you want to argue that it can negatively affect teens’ mental health, a peer-reviewed article might provide evidence from a psychological study linking heavy social media use to increased rates of anxiety or depression. This kind of source helps strengthen your argument with credible, research-based evidence.

Watch the following video on how to determine if a source is “scholarly.” Video Sources [youtu.be]

Newspapers and Magazines:

Newspapers and magazines are often referred to as “popular sources.” These are written for a general audience rather than for scholars or specialists. Their main purpose is to inform or entertain, and they can be excellent for providing current information, real-world examples, or public opinions related to your topic.

For example, a newspaper article might describe a new social media trend or report on recent studies about technology use among teens. A magazine article might feature interviews, stories, or infographics that help illustrate the human side of your issue.

However, because popular sources are written by journalists rather than researchers, they may not include citations or detailed evidence, and the authors are not necessarily experts. These sources often include visuals, advertisements, and colorful layouts to appeal to readers. That doesn’t mean they’re not useful, it just means you should take extra care to evaluate their credibility and accuracy before relying on them in academic work.

Web Sources:

The web offers an incredible range of information from news articles, opinion pieces, government data, to scholarly work, videos, blogs, and social media posts. It’s often the first place we turn when starting research because it’s accessible, immediate, and covers almost any topic imaginable. However, this same openness is also what makes web research tricky. Anyone can publish online, and not all content goes through an editorial or peer-review process. That means valuable, credible information sits side-by-side with misinformation, bias, outdated facts, and even deliberate deception.

When using web sources for research, it’s essential to think critically about where information comes from and why it exists. Websites can have different purposes: some aim to inform, others to persuade, entertain, or sell something. Even sources that appear trustworthy at first glance may have subtle biases shaped by political, social, or commercial interests.

Using Library Databases

Many of the most reliable and high-quality resources you’ll use can be found through the HACC Library databases. A library database is an organized online collection of electronic resources such as academic journal articles, newspapers, magazines, videos, and ebooks. Unlike general web searches, library databases include materials that are reviewed, curated, and often not freely available on the open web. HACC subscribes to many different databases, each focused on specific subjects such as psychology, nursing, business, or education. These databases allow you to search by keywords and they often include tools to help you cite your sources correctly. Learning to use databases effectively will save you time, improve the quality of your research, and ensure that the information you use is credible and appropriate for academic work.