Types of Sources - PSYC 1101 - Wilson (Cartersville) - Fall 2025

Why this is important

It's important to understand the different types of sources you may encounter in Galileo. The type of source can definitely make an impact on the type of information it contains! The graphic and information below will help you decide what's best to use.

Primary v Secondary

Need to know if something is a primary or secondary source? Here's a quick way to do that. Ask yourself:

Is this source providing original information?
Is this source reporting on someone else's original information?

Sources that provide original information, like an article that reports findings from a study the author completed, eyewitness accounts of history, diaries and autobiographies, are PRIMARY SOURCES. Sources that talk about things that happened in the past (like a modern book on World War 1), biographies, articles that discuss research other people - NOT the authors - did, are secondary sources!

Newspapers (News sources)

Provides very current information about events, people, or places at the time they are published
Useful for information on current events or to track the development of a story as it unfolds
Examples: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN.com

Magazines

Include articles on diverse topics of popular interest and current events
Articles typically written by journalists or professional writers
Geared toward the general public
Examples: Time, Newsweek, National Geographic

Academic Journals (Peer-reviewed or scholarly journals)

Include articles written by and for specialists/experts in a particular field
Articles must go through a peer review process before they're accepted for publication
Articles tend to have a narrower focus and more analysis of the topic than those in other types of publications
Include cited references or footnotes at the end of research articles
Examples: Journal of Communication, The Historian, Journal of the American Medical Association

Trade Publications

Written for a specific industry or trade, contains information specifically for that trade
Often looks more like a magazine
Contains ads for products related to the industry
Examples: Advertising Age, Mathematics Teacher

Books

Cover virtually any topic, fact or fiction
Useful for the complete background on an issue or an in-depth analysis of a theory or person
Can take years to publish, so may not always include the most current information
Examples: The Politics of Gun Control, To Kill a Mockingbird, Hemingway and Faulkner in their Time

Reference Books

Include facts, figures, addresses, statistics, definitions, dates, etc.
Useful for finding factual or statistical information or for a brief overview of a particular topic.
Examples: dictionaries, encyclopedias, directories

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