Where do you go to find research? Well, that’s more complicated for you than it was for students 50 years ago. Before the internet, undergraduate researchers were responsible for the sources available in their college or university’s library. Under certain circumstances, materials could be obtained from other libraries through interlibrary loan services.

Things have changed. As the saying goes, “With great power comes great responsibility.” The internet, and all the information associated with it, is now at your disposal as a researcher. You are responsible for a lot more than is contained within the walls of the library. This can feel overwhelming, so we will start by exploring the different types of publications you may encounter. We talk about how to find them in a later chapter, but you need to know what you’re looking for before you learn how to find it.

On the next few pages, you will learn about the types of research sources you can find using the tools at your disposal. Some of the types of sources you will read about include:

• Periodicals
  • Popular Magazines
  • Trade Journals
  • Scholarly Journals
• Academic Books