Information Technology Division
George C. Gordon Library

The Right Tool for the Job

Depending on your topic, it's important that you choose the tool that offer you the most relevant results. Below is a list of sources you might wish to consult, based on how current the information is that you are searching for. You'll also want to distinguish between primary and secondary sources.

Primary source: An original manuscript, record or document created at the time an event occurred. Example: Declaration of Independence.

Secondary source: A work that critiques, comments on or builds upon primary sources associated with an event. Example: Article about the Declaration of Independence.

SourceToolAppropriate for...
People (Professor, Friends, Experts)Word of mouthThe most up-to-date information, ideas of where to search.
Associations Encyclopedia of Associations (REF HS17 G334), web search, or check Associations on the Net Organizations may be able to provide information, studies on your topic. Example: American Planning Association has a Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy division.
Web Search Engine Overview information on a topic, company reports, some free journal articles. Lots of variety. Necessary to evaluate.
Newspapers LEXIS-NEXIS Academic, other individual newspaper databases News and trade publications. Not scholarly, but useful for opinions, dates, current events, and journalistic analysis.
Magazines, Conference Proceedings, Scholarly Journals Databases such as ThomsonGale PowerSearch, JSTOR, or Compendex Web via Engineering Village Information varies in timeliness and scholarship. Each database will have a different focus. Be sure to read the descriptions.
Books, Reference Works, Annual Reviews Library Catalog More in-depth coverage, or overview/background information.
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Last modified: Aug 25, 2006, 13:18 EDT
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