This document discusses different types of resources for research, including print, audio, video, and electronic sources. It emphasizes the importance of evaluating resources based on their accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency, and coverage. Primary sources contain original, unedited information while secondary sources interpret and analyze primary sources. Reference materials like encyclopedias and indexes are good starting points for research but must also be evaluated carefully.

1. Using online and print resources
Prepared by
Lalji Baraiya
Research Scholar
Department of English,
MKBU.

2. Why is it important to know the different
types of resources?
Find different kinds of
information in different
resources.
We do not want to
waste time searching
for a resource that will
not give you the
information you need.

3. Print Source
Primary Sources Secondary
Sources

4. What is a Primary Source?
Original Information when it first appears or
first happens that is unedited.
•Interviews
•Letters
•Events
•Speeches
•Manuscripts
•Community meeting
•Diaries, Personal
Journals
•Debates & Discussions
•Surveys
•Historic documents
•Artifacts
•E- mail contact
•Photograph

5. What is a Secondary Source?
Edited or interpreted primary sources. These are re-
packaged versions of the actual event or document
•Books
•Encyclopedias
•Reference materials
•Periodicals
•Audio & Video materials
•TV documentaries
•Photographs
•CD- ROM
•Web sites & wikis

6. Formats of Sources
•Print ( books, periodicals, documents)
•Audio ( tapes, CDs)
•Video (VHS tapes, DVDs)
•Visual ( Photographs, slides)
•Microform( microfilm, microfiche)
•3-Dimensional ( globes, artifacts)
•Electronic ( e-books, Internet, research
databases, PDF files, MP3 files)

7. Types of Print Secondary Sources in the Library
Periodicals
Books Reference books

8. Books
• Books give you in depth information on a
topic.
• Books are good source for information that
happened in the past, or interpretive
information for an on- going event or problem.
• It takes a long time to compile all the
information for a book and then to publish it.
So books will not have information on events
that recently happened.

9. Reference books
• General Encyclopedias
• Subject Encyclopedias
• Dictionaries & Thesauri
• Almanacs & Yearbooks
• Handbooks & Manuals
• Indexes & Bibliographies
• Atlases
Tips: It’s usually a
good idea to begin
your research with an
encyclopedia in order
to get general
background
information on your
subject.

10. Periodicals
• Periodicals are published on a regular basis .
• They are published more frequently, they will
have more current information than you will
find in books or encyclopedias.
• Periodical articles are far shorter than books,
the information will not be as in depth as what
you’d find a book.
• Newspaper, Magazine, Scholarly Journals

11. Online Sources
• Index
• Search engines
• Wikis and Blogs
• Databases

12. Indexes
• Index help you locate information by allowing you to
search large collections of information using simple
keywords.
• Ex. Library Catalog
• It help you find books and audio/visual materials in
the library.

13. Search Engines
• Search engines are a type of index that help you find
other web sites on the internet.
• Once you find a web site ,you will need to evaluate it
carefully. Remember: anyone can put anything on
internet.
• Ex.
Google
Bing
Yahoo!

14. Wiki and Blogs
• Be careful when using wikis and blogs for research.
Evaluate them closely and consider who is
contributing the information.

15. Databases
• Databases combine index searching with access to a
huge digital collection of article, images and more.
• Content within a databases has been reviewed and
edited by professionals and scholars, so the
information is usually high- quality and reliable.

16. Why do I need to evaluate my resource?
• I want to be sure that the information I find is
correct and useful for my needs.

17. Why would information not be correct
or useful to us?
• Out of date information
• It my not have enough
knowledge or expertise in the
subject.
• Information could be based
or someone’s opinion instead
of being fact.
• It may not be suitable for
your research needs.

18. Five criteria to look
for in a Source
• Accuracy
• Authority
• Objectivity
• Currency
• Coverage

19. Accuracy
• Who is Author?
• Are they affiliated
with an educational
institution?
• Is the book, article,
web site…written in
their area of expertise?

20. Objectivity
• What objectives does the document meet?
• How detailed is the information ?
• Is it too elementary, too technical, too advanced?
• Is the information well researched?
• Is there a bibliography at the end?
• Is there a published review of the book?

21. Authority
• What are the author’s
credentials?
• Is the person qualified to
write that document?
• Is it published by a
university press?
• Check the domain of a
website.
• Know the different
between author and a web
master.

22. Reliable web site domains include
• .edu
• .gov
• .org ( non- profit organization site)
• .net
Unreliable web site domains include
• .com ( commercial site)

23. Currency
• When was it published
or produced?
• Is it first edition?
• When was the web site
last updated ?
• How many dead links
are on the web site page?

24. Coverage
• Does the source update other sources or
add new information?
• Does it extensively or minimally cover
the topic?
• Is the information well organized?
• Is it a primary or secondary source?
• Is it free, or is there a fee to access the
information?

25. Why do We need to know all of this ?
• Now that we know what types of
resources are out there, you will be
able to recognize them when you
begin your research.
• You will also know which resources
to try searching first since you know
what information can be found in
each. Or you will know which
resources will not give you the
information you need.

26. References
• Correa, Dalia Da Sousa and W. R. Owens. The
Handbook to literary Research. British Library
Cataloguing in Publication Data, 2010.
• James and Abigali. University of Hawaii West
Oʻahu. 2021 Aug 12. 2022 Aug 28
<https://guides.westoahu.hawaii.edu/researc
h>.
• M., Okore & Asogwa, Chijioke & Eke-Okpala,
Helen. Online Resources and Web Research.
(2009)https://www.researchgate.net/publicati
on/282507225_Online_Resources_and_Web_
Research

27. • Google Images
• http://ww16.turtin.com/?sub1=20220829-
0316-13ea-974f-305be08ac857
• https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cO8OrZDb4
UOewCpaa6pPLG1rVH3Li9V7/view.pdf
•
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KYq7WA02rR
D3u5vlnmb9BxeVcfeQ27b0/view.pdf

28. • Ready to start searching?