Spectrum of Sources
The Spectrum of Sources is a tool to help you evaluate the information you find and determine its usefulness for your assignment or information need.
|
|
Entertainment |
General News |
Specialist Publications |
Scholarly |
|
Examples |
BuzzFeed, National Examiner, Vanity Fair |
Time Magazine, National Geographic, USA Today |
Quilting Arts Magazine, The American Biology Teacher |
The Journal of Water Sanitation, Transgender Studies Quarterly |
|
Content |
General interest topics and entertainment |
Current events |
Hobby and career-specific information |
Specific to a narrow area of research |
|
Author |
Journalists, freelance writers, paparazzi |
Journalists, Editorial staff, scholars, freelance writers |
Individuals with experience or professionals |
Experts with academic credentials |
|
Audience |
The public |
Broad audience of concerned citizens |
People with similar interests/hobbies or work in the same field |
Scholars and professionals in the field |
|
Purpose |
To entertain, promote, or advertise and sell |
To inform |
To educate |
To move the profession forward; to gain a new understanding of the subject area |
| Cost to Access | free - $ | $$ | $$$ | $$$$$ |
Need Help?
