1.4 Where information sources are located
So far in this section you have looked at different types of information. If you go on to study at university, in your first year you will generally be provided with the required books and articles and other resources. Later on, you may be required to search for more information or you may simply be interested in finding out more about a specific topic.
To be able to do this, you need to know where to find sources that are relevant to you. In the next activity, you are shown different types of information source and asked to decide where they are most likely to be found.
Activity _unit2.1.4 Activity 4
Shown below are images of books, journal articles, references to chapters in books or journals, and daily news. Where would you be most likely to find these items? Choose between:
- libraries
- databases
- internet
- booksellers
- the media.
Drag each item into the appropriate box. When you drop an item into a box you will receive onscreen feedback letting you know whether your choice is correct or whether to try again.
If you prefer, you can make a note, either in the box below or on a piece of paper, of where you think each item can be found before looking at the answers and comment below.
Answer
| Libraries | Databases | Internet | Booksellers | The media | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Books | Yes, and also in booksellers and maybe on the internet | No | Possibly but usually not. | Yes, and also in libraries and possibly on the internet | Not usually |
| Journal articles | Yes, particularly university and college libraries | Yes, journal articles make up most database content | Yes, sometimes, but check if the journal articles are refereed or not | Not usually | Possibly, but the journal articles may not be refereed |
| References to chapters in books or journals | Yes, in indexes | Yes | Possibly | No | No |
| Daily news | Yes, libraries usually have daily news items | No | Yes, lots of news sites and e-newspapers | Not likely unless the bookseller sells newspapers too | Yes, also electronic news sites on the internet |
Discussion
As you can see from this activity, depending on their type, these sources can normally be accessed online, through a library or from a newsagent. Some of these are freely available, but unless you are enrolled in a university degree, you will have to pay or purchase a subscription to view the full version of most specialised books, newspapers, magazines and online journals. These sources are readily available to current students through their university library.