Academic Sources
Definition: Sources written or edited by scholars within specific conventions; tend to write about original research
Journals > peer reviewed, refereed
Books > author credentials, publisher information, well-documented
* Note: An editorial in a peer reviewed journal is part of an academic journal but it not reviewed by peers prior to publication. It is an academic source yet not a peer reviewed source.
Popular Sources
Definition: A range of sources that do not qualify as scholarly; may or may not include analysis
These sources can range from magazine articles to sensational tabloids to blogs and websites. Many popular sources are still credible. These sources may or may not be written experts and do not go through a process like peer review. However, many magazine and newspaper publishers still employ editors and fact-checkers before publishing materials. Yet, other information sources readily available to you may not have gone through any level of review.
Vanderbilt University, Peabody Library, 3:12
North Carolina State University (NCSU) Libraries, 3:15
Not what other research libraries are, what they will be.
5200 N. Lake Road
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