Secondary Sources
Most books, articles and other information sources are considered to be secondary sources. However, it depends on the purpose of your research! If you are writing about racism and sexism in America, Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, is considered a primary source because it is a first-hand account of her experiences with these issues.
If you are writing a research paper about the Civil Rights movement, it would be a secondary source because that is not a central theme in this book, although it is peripherally related. Learn more on the Selecting Sources page in this guide.
Image from Marcia J. Bates, Professor Emerita, Information Studies, UCLA
Generally, a scholarly source is written by an expert in the given field and goes through the peer-reviewed process. Researchers use scholarly sources because they provide credible information. Most college-level papers you need to write will require you to reference scholarly sources.
While articles from academic journals are perhaps the most important scholarly sources, scholarly sources exist in many forms. Scholarly sources may also be books, conference proceedings, or other sources that match the scholarly criteria.
Characteristics of a scholarly source:
- Authors are scholars or researchers in the field
- Publication cites other sources
- Publication is written in language that is either academic or specific to the field
- Published by a scholarly press and reviewed
- Publication is intended for academics or researchers in the field
Electronic Sources
As a member of Taft College you have access to millions of information sources. The Library Catalog and the databases listed in A-Z Databases allow you to search for information pertinent to your research. However, not all sources provided by these services are academic articles.
Physical Sources
You may also find scholarly sources on the shelves of Taft College Library.