Sources of Information Source: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/conducting_research/research_overview/sources.html
PRINT SOURCES
Books and Textbooks Due to the time it takes to publish a book, books usually contain more dated information than will be found in journals and newspapers. However, because they are usually much longer, they can often cover topics in greater depth than more up-to-date sources.
Newspapers Newspapers contain very up-to-date information by covering the latest events and trends. Newspapers publish both factual information and opinion-based articles. However, due to journalistic standards of objectivity, news reporting will not always take a “big picture” approach or contain information about larger trends, instead opting to focus mainly on the facts relevant to the specifics of the story.
Academic and Trade Journals Academic and trade journals contain the most up-to-date information and research in industry, business, and academia. Journal articles come in several forms, including literature reviews that overview current and past research, articles on theories and history, and articles on specific processes or research. While a well-regarded journal represents the cutting-edge knowledge of experts in a particular field, journal articles can often be difficult for non-experts to read, as they tend to incorporate lots of technical jargon and are not written to be engaging or entertaining.
Government Reports and Legal Documents The government regularly releases information intended for internal and/or public use. These types of documents can be excellent sources of information due to their regularity, dependability, and thoroughness. An example of a government report would be any of the reports the U.S. Census Bureau publishes from census data. Note that most government reports and legal documents can now be accessed online.
Press Releases and Advertising Companies and special interest groups produce texts to help persuade readers to act in some way or inform the public about some new development. While the information they provide can be accurate, approach them with caution, as these texts' publishers may have vested interests in highlighting particular facts or viewpoints.
Flyers, Pamphlets, Leaflets While some flyers or pamphlets are created by reputable sources, because of the ease with which they can be created, many less-than-reputable sources also produce these. Pamphlets and leaflets can be useful for quick reference or very general information, but beware of pamphlets that spread propaganda or misleading information.
DIGITAL AND ELECTRONIC SOURCES
Multimedia Sources such as radio and television broadcasts, interactive talks, and recorded public meetings.
Websites Most of the information on the Internet is distributed via websites. Websites vary widely in terms of the quality and validity of information they offer.
Blogs and personal websites Blogs and personal sites vary widely in their validity as sources for serious research. For example, many prestigious journalists and public figures may have blogs, which may be more credible than most amateur or personal blogs. Note, there are very few standards for impartiality or accuracy when it comes to what can be published on personal sites.
Social media pages and message boards These types of sources exist for all kinds of disciplines. Some may be useful, depending on the topic you are studying, but the information found on social media or message boards is not always credible.