types of information
The nature of your research will determine what kind of sources you will require to access the information you need. If you need to look at original source documents so that you can formulate conclusions based on direct evidence, you'll need primary resources. If you need to find background information in order to provide a context for your own interpretations, you'll need a secondary resource. Typically, if you are researching for the purposes of completing an academic assignment, you will be expected to use scholarly resources. Alternatively, if you are researching for the sake of personal interest, you may be easily satisfied with using non-scholarly sources.
Being able to distinguish between these principle types of information will allow you to make the best decisions on choosing an information source that will provide the information most appropriate to your need.
The following section will help you make these distinctions.
