DIFFERENT

TYPES OF
SOURCES
BY: FRANCHESCA NICOLE LUGO
 Different types of sources play distinct but
complementary roles in the research process. When you
are just starting, it is important to search for background
information so you learn key facts people, dates, and
any specialized vocabulary associated with your topic.
WHAT IS A
SOURCE?
Information is a processed data. An information source is where you got your
information from; this can be a book or website. Information sources are the various
means by which information is recorded for use by an individual or an organization. It is
the means by which a person is informed about something or knowledge is availed to
someone, a group of people, or an organization. Information sources can be
observations, people, speeches, documents, pictures, organization.
 Sources are considered primary, second
ary, or tertiary depending on the originality of th
e information presented and their proximity or h
ow close they are to the source of information.
This distinction can differ between subjects and
disciplines. In the sciences, research findings
may be communicated informally between
researchers through email, presented at
conferences (primary source), and then, possibly
, published as a journal article or technical report
(primary source).
 Once published, the information may be
commented on by other researchers (secondary
sources), and/or professionally indexed in a data
base (secondary sources). Later the information
may be summarized into an encyclopedic or
reference book format (tertiary sources).
SOURCES ARE CONSIDERED
depending on
the originality of
the information
presented and
their proximity
or how close
SECON- they are to the
PRIMARY TERTIARY source of
DARY
information