This box lives at How To Do Research > Sources of Information
It is included on the
- What is a Scholarly Source? page of the Scholarly Sources module
- Types of Sources page of the Dimensions/Connections Canvas Module
You may have been told to use credible or scholarly sources in your research. What does that mean?
- A credible source is a source that provides accurate, reliable, and trustworthy information, typically written by an expert in the field with evidence to support its claims.
- A scholarly source is a source written by experts in a field for other experts to present original research, analysis, and findings. They are often characterized by complexity, technical language, and a focus on a specialized audience.
While there is overlap between these two concepts, they aren't the same. For example, a reference book (like an encyclopedia) can be considered relatively credible, but it is intended for a general audience and wouldn't be considered scholarly. Therefore, while encyclopedias be a good source to find background information on your topic, you will probably want to move on to more scholarly sources for more in-depth research.
It can be helpful to think of credible and scholarly sources as a spectrum, with different types of sources as more or less credible or scholarly:
