CTHPP Hierarchy of Sources

Sources have a hierarchy which determines whether it is appropriate to use them in academic work. The general rule
is that the closer to the ORIGINAL source, the better. The closer to the TOP of the hierarchy the better. The examples
listed here are not comprehensive. There are many other similar organisations or sources at the various levels.

Position Data: Theory and Use Cite

Quantitative or Models
Qualitative
Top Academic Yes Yes
monograph
(book)
Top   Key journal Establish the rules or Yes
articles concepts of a theory or
school or model
Top   Recent journal Articles may be time Yes
articles limited in certain
contexts if so, newer is
better than older
Top Classic Yes Yes
foundational text:
Marx,
Wollstonecraft,
W.E.B. Du Bois
Top   Critical or Articles which criticise Yes, but need to be cited alongside
supplementary or elaborate key originals and rival interpretations
journal articles articles, or classic texts
and should be used in
conjunction with them
Top Legal company   Yes (but company Yes (in general the latest most-up-to-
information: claims must be critically date information must be used. A new
FAME database, assessed not just series is preferable to an older series.
Annual Reports recycled verbatim) Statistics must always be dated with
the unit and source).
Top Government Yes Yes (in general the latest most-up-to-
reports: NHS, date information must be used. A new
ONS, Councils, series is preferable to an older series.
Official Agencies, Statistics must always be dated with
House of the unit and source).
Commons
Top International   Yes Yes (in general the latest most-up-to-
Agencies: IMF, date information must be used. A new
World Bank, series is preferable to an older series.
United Nations, Statistics must always be dated with
WTO, OECD, ILO the unit and source).
Top National   Yes Yes (in general the latest most-up-to-
Government: date information must be used. A new
United States series is preferable to an older series.
BEA, Commerce Statistics must always be dated with

V.Jan2021
 CTHPP Hierarchy of Sources
Dept, Chinese the unit and source).
State Statistical
Agency, Eurostat
Middle NGOS/National   Yes, but needs to be Yes, but not if information available
-Top Agencies: TUC, supported with other from higher source
UNISON, Unite, information
OXFAM, CBI
Middle - National news   For qualitative news not Yes, but not if information available
Top organisations: usually quantitative from higher source
BBC, ITV, SKY, news, but needs to be
Economist supported with other
magazine information
Middle- Quality Press,   For qualitative news not Yes, but not if information available
Top Financial Times, quantitative news, but from higher source
Guardian, Times needs to be supported
with other information
Middle- Financial reports,  Financial reports, To reflect divergent Yes, but not if information available
Middle Banks, Banks, opinions, but needs to from higher source
Consultancies Consultancies be supported with other
information
Middle-  Textbook For information Not usually, if a journal or academic
Middle monograph is available
Middle News agencies,   For information, but Yes, but not if information available
-Bottom press releases, needs to be supported from higher source
popular press, with other information
Express, Mail, Sun
Bottom Online  For information  No*
- Top Encyclopaedia:
Wikipedia,
Investopedia
Bottom Online theory or  For information  No*
- Middle models examples:
Marketing or
training
organisations
Bottom Bloggers  Bloggers  For information  No*
-Bottom
* Except as an example of the thing itself

V.Jan2021