You may be aware that academic sources are very important to students and researchers of all ages. When you need to write an essay or a research paper on a complex topic, you need to support all your statements and ideas with accurate information.
Academic sources are crucial for students of all ages, even if you aren't aware of this yet. When writing an essay on a difficult subject, you must provide reliable evidence to back up all of your claims and arguments. And from what source is this information derived? Of course, from a variety of sources! Although there are many scholarly sources to choose from, some are superior to others.
Remember that you need to include a list of the sources you utilized in the Works Cited or Bibliography part of your academic work, where you conducted the research. Furthermore, we can guarantee that your instructors actually review the scholarly sources you submit. Actually, they really do determine your grade to a great extent.
Let's begin at the outset. Academic sources: what are they? Given the wide range of views on the true nature of academic sources, it is somewhat challenging to provide you with a really definite description.
Now you know the answer to the question, "What are scholarly sources?" Academic sources are often known as "scholarly sources."
You can get information for your scholarly research article in a number of methods. You can use information from peer-reviewed publications, scholarly journals found on websites like Science Direct and DOAJ (directory of open access journals), as well as non-scholarly sources, when writing an essay. There are very few lecturers who will insist that you use solely data from academic publications. It's important to remember that there are various categories of scholarly sources. The primary information sources available to you as a student researcher are as follows:
A primary source is what? Another term for a main source is "raw data." These are the unique materials that serve as the foundation for all other sources. Stated otherwise, each of them comprises unique compositions that have been featured in scholarly journals and publications. Moreover, primary sources are newly gathered data that is directly relevant to the study question. Primary data gives researchers the precise information they are looking for when conducting study. Apart from this, though, obtaining primary data necessitates a large amount of input before necessary information is available. In other words, accessing primary sources necessitates work.
A researcher can examine or explore many examples of original or primary sources. Among them are a few of them:
While primary sources are not the only source of information, certain research projects need to use primary sources in order to complete their objectives. Primary sources are still highly valued in research writing for this reason, among others.
A secondary source: what is it? Utilizing secondary sources is an additional method of data sourcing in addition to primary sources. Data from secondary sources were formerly or initially gathered from primary sources. For informational purposes, secondary data depends more on the analysis of primary sources. The ease of access to secondary sources is a major reason why a lot of researchers prefer to use them when gathering data. Precise citation is crucial when utilizing secondary sources for research, as improper citation may lead to accusations of plagiarism. Examples of secondary sources that can be used for research abound. Among them are:
Primary data automatically turns into secondary data when it is transferred from the original source to another researcher. As long as the researcher does not acquire the majority of the data, the source is considered secondary.
A tertiary source: what is it? Both the primary and secondary resources are typically present in these resources. To put it another way, tertiary sources can be summaries of sources, sources arranged in indexes, or even databases, which are essentially online indexes with the possibility of an abstract for each work. Examples of other tertiary sources are as follows:
However, why are academic sources better suited for research in academia? Does using data from primary, secondary, or tertiary sources have to be your standard practice? Actually, using these as your study source is a smart idea. But as long as the material is genuine and reputable, using data from other sources is acceptable as well. The majority of the time, using sources written by subject-matter experts is unproblematic.
Wikipedia and similar websites, however, are not appropriate for use in academic settings. Why? because users do not always maintain them and they are user-maintained. These websites typically include content that is inappropriate for academic usage and should not be cited in academic papers.
However, why are academic sources better suited for research in academia? Does using data from primary, secondary, or tertiary sources have to be your standard practice? Actually, using these as your main source is a smart idea. But as long as the material is genuine and reputable, using data from other sources is acceptable as well. The majority of the time, using sources written by subject-matter experts is unproblematic.
Wikipedia and similar websites, however, are not appropriate for use in academic settings. Why? because users do not always maintain them and they are user-maintained. In general, the data you find on these websites is inappropriate for use in an academic article.
On the Internet, there is a lot of false information on where to go for scholarly sources. Many businesses may try to convince you that purchasing their subscription is the only way to access high-quality materials. Some may tell you that if you're looking for high-quality content, you should visit your local library. However, it's not that hard. Here's how to quickly and simply locate academic sources:
- Start with Google. Go to Google first. Peer-reviewed articles are widely available for free online from a variety of well-known sources. You must utilize Google Scholar, a search engine specifically made to look for academic publications, for this. There are a ton of serious academic sources available.
- To discover what you're looking for, visit the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) website and use the search box. Remember that open access journals are given away without payment. There are thousands of scholarly journals as well as other scientific materials available.
- Look for search engines with functionality for scholarly research. It's not just Google Scholar that exists. You may usually find the articles' full texts or at least abstracts in the results that these search engines return.
- Why not attempt to visit the websites of the most eminent scholars you are aware of? A significant number of them are offering their users access to a wealth of information, and most of them are free to use. On their websites, a lot of professors also provide PDF versions of their works.
- To obtain laws and other policy documents, visit official government websites directly. There are several primary documents available, all of which have undergone accurate peer assessment. It's an excellent method for finding scholarly materials online.
A lengthy list of scholarly sources can also be downloaded from databases. ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Science, The McQuade Library, EBSCOhost, or INFOTRAC are just a few examples of academic sources databases that typically need you to become a paid member. Unfortunately, the membership might be highly costly.
Popular sources are frequently encountered during research, particularly when looking for secondary sources.
The reliability of the material that is available is the primary distinction between scholarly and popular sources. Academics recommend using scholarly sources more when conducting research.
Which are the finest sources, academic or popular? It is contingent upon the kind of paper and subject matter that you are required to write. Popular sources are generally appropriate and won't raise any red flags with your lecturer. But keep in mind that user-maintained websites like Wikipedia should be avoided because the content is frequently inaccurate. It is preferable to use scholarly sources of the highest caliber if you can locate them. Finding something reputable and trustworthy is crucial, particularly if you're creating a dissertation literature review and a thesis for it.Your lecturer will undoubtedly be grateful, and you'll probably receive some bonus points in return.
A table summarizing the traits of academic and popular sources may be seen below.
| Scholarly Sources | Popular Sources | |
| Author | Scholars and researchers usually within the academia. | Content writers, staff writers, anyone who researches information to publish online. |
| Documentation Source | Valid references, bibliographies and all cited sources. | Often without a known or acknowledged source. |
| Editorial Process | Peer reviewed by research experts within the academia. | Mostly reviewed on a surface-level by an in-house editor. |
| Purpose | To contribute to research study and provide solid knowledge and findings in an academic area. | MTo provide quick-access information on a particular subject. |
| Article Structure | Starts with an approved proposal. Abstract, literature review, methodology, objectives, results and findings, references. | Mixture of short or long-form articles. |
| Publication Frequency | Quarterly, Bi-monthly, Annually | Daily, weekly, monthly |
| Titles | Academic-based | Less wordy, usually straightforward |
| Language | Follows an academic writing style of formal and complex writing style. | Simple, easier to read and less formal. |
| Target Audience | Academics, scholars, researchers, lecturers | General audience |
| Research Value and Relevance | Contributing to existing studies and research. | Provision of information on current topics. |
It's time to talk about another method of obtaining the resources you require now that you are aware of what scholarly sources are and where to find academic, peer-reviewed sources. Why not let an expert handle it for you instead of paying for subscriptions and spending hours browsing through different search engines? Most databases and online libraries require a paid membership, which is typically held by an academic writing service. Naturally, their academic writers use these resources to compose essays for their customers.
Are you still unsure about "peer reviewed sources"? or "I haven't finished my thesis yet." Do you need assistance rapidly locating the best resources on the Internet? You must act immediately if there is a tight deadline for your academic work. You don't have to shell out a lot of cash for a variety of premium subscriptions, and you most certainly don't have the time to look around for the scholarly materials you require. For this reason, contacting HAMNIC Solutions, a reputable academic writing service and asking its specialised researchers to compile a list of academic sources as soon as possible is your best course of action. The good thing is that you can simultaneously receive some writing support. Of certainly, if you require it.
