Different Types of Information Sources

Different Types of Information Sources

The kind of information you need will help you identify the kind of resource or resources that will be most useful for your purpose. OU Libraries provide access to many different kinds of resources (linked below when available), but you may also find valuable information by searching the internet.

Do you need...

• Up-to-the-minute news? Try sources on the World Wide Web, such as online newspapers, news' organizations social media sites, or broadcast media
• Current, daily information or local information? Try news sources such as newspapers, broadcast media, or web-based news
• An in-depth exploration of a topic? Try books on your subject or topic
• A reliable overview for background information on a topic? Try subject encyclopedias
• Statistics and data? Try statistical reference books, online statistical sources, or government websites
• Research on a focused topic? Try scholarly journals
• Information on popular events? Try magazines or broadcast media 
• Primary research or editorials from experts? Try scholarly journals or newspapers
• Current data from government agencies? Try the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications, govinfo, or searching the World Wide Web for those government agencies' websites

Content developed using Clark College Libraries' resources.

Want more information?

Check out the "Different Types of Information Sources" section of the tutorial guide Research Unbound: A Library Orientation for Transfer, Upper-Division, and Graduate Students.