Identify Types of Sources: Scholarly, Industry, and Popular Sources

What is the Source of Your Source?

Your instructor's assignment may call for you to obtain information from a specific type of source.

One way to recognize the type of source you are working with is by identifying the field which it is published from.  Having an understanding of the following subcategories will help you determine the origin of your source.

Scholarly Sources

• Authored by scholars and scientists
• Almost always peer-reviewed (this is when a research document/article goes under the review of other scholars in the same field of study or line of work)
• Contain complex language and in-depth examination of cutting-edge ideas and science
• Written by experts who have strong authority in the topics they write about
• Aim to inform and share knowledge and research with other scholars
• Often contain statistical data and illustrations such as charts and graphs

Scholarly sources are usually your best sources to use when writing a research paper, when you need to cite the highest level of information available, and when you want to discover the finest level of details related to a subject.  You would not need to use scholarly sources when writing a memoir, a report on a basketball game, or an advertisement for a local event.

  

One example of a scholarly source

The Flow of Scholarly Information

One of the reasons scholarly sources are considered authoritative (they hold great weight in presenting views or findings on a topic) is because of the lengthy and stringent process that they go through prior to being published.  Below is a brief representation of that process or cycle.
 

Source: Wiley

Industry Sources

• Authored by people in specific industries
• Highly unlikely to be peer-reviewed
• Contain industry-specific language and articles about industry-related concepts or news
• Written by individuals from the related industry, who have various levels of authority.
• Aim to share industry-specific knowledge or entertainment with other people in the same industry

Industry sources are best used by individuals in a specific career or those who wish to obtain a specific line of work.  These could be used for research purposes, however, their scope will be very narrow.  You would not want to use an industry source to look for broader subjects such as current events in a city, the latest sales on grocery items, or how to repair an old phonograph.

An example of an industry publication

Popular Sources

• Usually authored by laypersons such as reporters or authors 
• Not peer-reviewed.
• Contain simple language and a huge variety of topics
• Usually written by laypersons with limited knowledge and low authority who may or may not conduct research to support their work
• Aim to entertain or inform in easily understood language.

Popular sources may include literature based on subjects like entertainment, news, or self help topics.  You would not use a popular source to identify the latest and best practices in heart surgery or for learning the job specifics of an airplane technician.

For more information on specific sources and their corresponding category and subcategory, refer to the next section.

Texas Parks & Wildlife is an example of a popular source or publication.

Examples of Information Sources and Source Types Follow:

• Journals (scholarly source)
• Trade Magazines (industry source)
• Entertainment Magazines (popular source)
• Newspapers (popular source)
• Personal Communication (varies based on who creates it and their purpose)
• Social Media (varies based on who creates it and their purpose)
• Books (varies based on genre, who creates it, and their purpose)
• Maps (varies based on who creates it and their purpose)
• Video (varies based on who creates it and their purpose)
• Audio (varies based on who creates it and their purpose)

You can probably think of other sources of information. If you are uncertain as to how to categorize them, reach out to your instructor or an MCC librarian for assistance.

How to Access Sources at the MCC Library

The MCC Library collection contains every source of information listed above, except social media posts. The collection is made up of both hard-copy and digital items.

You can access the library catalog (and all digital items) by using the search feature on the MCC Library homepage. If you need help using the system, select the Chat with a Librarian option on the library's homepage to access our 24-hour chat support.

Also, see the Find Research Sources guide to enhance your searching capabilities.