CONT…

LECTURE TWO
INFORMATION SOURCES
Introduction
• To obtain timely, relevant and quality information for your study or
research work, one needs to know the various sources of
information available. This lesson is expected to deepen one’s
knowledge of sources of information in print, non- print and
electronic formats. It presents the definition, types, formats, and
categories of information sources.
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Definition of Information Sources

• Adomi (2012) defined information sources as resources or
materials from Information which people get ideas,
meaningful messages, enlightenment and direction that
enable them to accomplish a given task, make decisions
and solve problems. It is the means by which a person is
informed about something or knowledge is availed to
someone, a group of people or an organization.
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• Information sources can be observations, people,
speeches, documents, pictures, organizations.
Information sources can be in print, non-print and
electronic media or format.
Types of Information Sources
• Information can come from virtually anywhere: personal
experiences, books, articles, expert opinions,
encyclopedias, the Web.
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The type of information needed will change depending on
its application. Individuals generate information on a daily
basis as they go about their work. In academic institutions,
staff and students consult various sources of information.
The three types of information sources are:
• Primary
• Secondary
• Tertiary
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Primary sources
• Primary sources are original materials on which other
research is based. This is information before it has been
analyzed, interpreted, commented upon, spun or
repackaged. They contain new and original idea or new
interpretations of already known facts. They are usually the
first formal appearance of results in physical, print or
electronic format. They represent original thinking,
unedited, firsthand, access to words, images, or objects by
persons directly involved in an activity or event or speaking
directly for a group.
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Examples include:
• Artifacts (e.g. coins, plant specimens, fossils, furniture, tools)
• Diaries
• Internet communications on email, list serves
• Interviews (e.g., oral histories, telephone, e-mail)
• Journal articles published in peer-reviewed publications
• Letters
• Newspaper articles written at the time
• Original Documents (i.e. birth certificate, will, marriage license
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Secondary sources
• They are interpretations and evaluations of primary
sources written significantly after events by parties not
directly involved but who have special expertise. They may
provide historical context or critical perspectives.
Secondary sources are thus not evidence, but rather
commentary on and discussion of evidence. However,
what some define as a secondary source, others define as
a tertiary source.
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Examples include:
• Bibliographies (also considered tertiary)
• Biographical works
• Commentaries, criticisms
• Dictionaries, Encyclopedias (also considered tertiary)
• Textbooks (also considered tertiary)
• Web site (also considered primary)
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Tertiary sources
Tertiary sources consist of information which is a
distillation and collection of primary and secondary
sources. They serve as pointers of to the secondary sources of
information their main purpose is to list, summarize or
simply repackage ideas or other information.
• Almanacs
• Bibliographies (also considered secondary)
• Dictionaries and Encyclopedias (also considered
secondary)
• Directories
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• Guidebooks
• Indexes, abstracts, bibliographies used to locate primary
and secondary sources
• Manuals
• Textbooks (also considered secondary)
Categories of information sources
• There are various categories of information sources and
different assignments require information from a variety
of sources.
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The selection of information sources to be used is largely

determined by the information needs and requirements.
Books
• These are works written on widely varying themes and
they range from documentary to technical books to novels
and nonfiction books. They are written by researchers or
experts and are only published after passing through
editors or publishers. Therefore, books can be considered a
source of information wherein assignments of
responsibilities for the quality of that information are
relatively clear. Books can be in print or electronic (e-
books).
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Periodicals
• These are publications such as journals, newspapers, or
magazines published on a regular basis - daily, weekly, bi-
weekly, monthly, bimonthly, quarterly or yearly. The
information in periodicals covers a wide variety of topics and is
very up-to-date. Periodicals are available in both print and
electronic formats. Common examples of periodicals include
popular magazines (or general interest magazines),
professional and trade magazines, scholarly journals,
newsletters, and newspapers.
• The two basic types of periodicals are: journals and magazines
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(i) Magazines
a) Popular Magazines
• Popular magazines are periodicals of a non-specialist nature.
The published articles are usually written by staff writers, and
chosen by the editor of the publication. Magazine articles are
usually shorter, written in non-technical language, and
designed for the general population. Articles in popular
magazines are reviewed by one or two members of staff of
the organization where they are published. Popular magazines
have a glossy appearance, contains many photographs and
advertisements in order to enhance commercial profitability.
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Examples of popular magazines are:

1. Fashion Trends
2. Readers Digest
3. People
4. Time Magazine
TEAU magazine
b) Trade Magazines
• These are magazines that present information about a profession
or a particular trade. They are written for members of a specific
business, industry or organization. Trade magazines cover industry
trends, new products or techniques.
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Examples of trade magazines are:
1. The Economist
2. APA Monitor
3. Computer World
4. The Farmer
(ii) Journals
• Journals are written by experts or specialists in a particular
field/discipline and targeted towards other scholars. The purpose
of scholarly publications is to report research or advance
knowledge. The articles are usually longer and may contain
charts, graphs and statistics as well as extensive bibliographies.
 CONT…
• The articles usually involve extensive research and in-
depth studies. The writing style is more complex and
the language may be technical. Examples of this type of
periodical are academic journals and professional
journals. Academic journals are written by members of
an academic community and are reviewed by their
peers while professional journals are written by
members of a professional body including librarians,
lawyers, doctors and engineers.
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Examples of academic journals are:

• African Journal of Political science
• African Journal Online (AJOL)
• Journal of Applied Science and Technology
Uses of Journals
• For scholarly research.
• To find out what has been studied on your topic
• To find bibliographies that point to other relevant research
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Reference Sources
• These are authoritative works that provide specific
answers or information. There are many types of
reference sources, including atlases, dictionaries,
encyclopedias, thesauri, almanacs, manuals, biographies,
and handbooks, among others. Each type is available
either in print, on CD-ROMs and the Internet. Reference
information sources can be general or subject specific.
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• For example, The Encyclopedia Britannica is general while
The Encyclopedia of Mammals, The New Encyclopedia of
Birds and The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine are subject
encyclopedias. Other reference sources such as
dictionaries, atlases, directories also have both general
and subject categories.
• References are a good information source for an overview
of a subject area as well as for facts, figures, addresses,
statistics, definitions and dates.
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Databases
• A database is a collection of information in electronic form
that is organized in a manner that allows a user to easily
retrieve information about its individual entries. They are
usually collections of citations of articles in journal,
magazines, newspapers, dissertations, reviews and
abstracts. The content of databases has undergone a review
process and the information is more reliable than
information found on the Internet. Often databases provide
access to full-text magazine and journal articles whilst some
contain abstracts or brief summaries.
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The Internet
• The Internet is a network of computers which inter-connects
computers globally. By interconnecting computers globally,
the Internet has made it possible to share information with
others globally. Information found on the Internet goes
beyond plain text as it includes sounds, fixed and moving
images and video. Anyone with an Internet account can post
information on the Internet; therefore, it offers a wealth of
information. However, the ease with which information can
be made publicly available also means that special care
must be taken when using information that is freely
available on the Internet.
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Bibliographies
• These are publications that consist of a list of books,
articles and other works on a particular topic. Sometimes
bibliographies are annotated, that is they include brief
abstracts summarizing the important features of the
works.
Abstracts
• An abstract is a brief synopsis or summary of the most
important points that the author makes in the paper. It is a
highly condensed version of the paper itself.
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• After reading the abstract, the reader knows the main
points that the authors have to make. The reader can then
evaluate the significance of the paper and then decide
whether or not she or he wishes to read the full paper.
Indexes
• Indexes are a finding guide to the contents of particular
journals. They provide subject, author, and/or title
indexing to a particular set of periodicals and give a full
citation for each article.
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The citation includes the title of the periodical, date, volume,

pages, as well as the author and title of the article. Some indexes
include abstracts
Theses and Dissertations
• These are research projects submitted by former students,
presenting their research findings in support of their academic
degrees or professional qualifications.
Electronic Resources Provided by TEAU University Library
• The library subscribed to electronic resources (both e-books and
e-journals) which you have access to millions of peer reviewed
journal articles.
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How to Access the E-Resources from the Library.

THE EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITY SUBSCRIBED E-
RESOURCES
• Ebsco host research databases:
http://search.epnet.com/
• Oxford journals :https://academic.oup.com/journals
• Taylor and Francis journals:
https://www.tandfonline.com/
• Sage research methods :
https://methods.sagepub.com/
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Choosing Sources of information

• When faced with an information related problem, you
either use the internet or the library as first choice or
second option. What other options do you have as an
information seeker?
• Starting with the Library
The main purpose of a university library is to collect a large,
selective quantity of scholarly materials from different
periods and on a diverse topic, and to organize the material
to make your research access easier.
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The following are advantages of choosing sources provided by the

libraries or reasons why you have to prioritize the library sources:
• Library resources go through a review process
• Library resources are free or discounted for your use
• Library is quality oriented as opposed to quantity.
• Library resources come with personal assistance
• Library resources are meant to be kept permanently
• Library resources are organized
• The library on the web.
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Starting with the internet

• Although you may first go to the web for information,
you should evaluate whether it is the best place for
what you need. Keep in mind the following
considerations when using sources available free from
the internet:
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• Information on the web is not organized

• Not all information on the web is free
• Much information on the web is not permanent
• Most information on the web is not comprehensive
• Much of the information on the web does not go through a
review process.
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Self-Test Questions
• Which is your first choice when faced with an information task?
Explain your reasons.
• Explain factors to consider in choosing sources of information
• Write notes on why it is important to select sources provided by
libraries over what is available free.
• Differentiate the following information sources
(a) Electronic (b) Print
• Identify various sources of information found in the TEAU
library
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Summary
• In this lecture you have learnt that:
• The definition of information sources
• Types of information sources
• Categories of information sources
• Journals especially the e-journals are appropriate for your
essay assignments.
• You may decide to use only electronic books for your
studies.