Finding sources is a vital step in completing academic assignments. Researching information about a topic informs your own ideas and lends credibility to your argument. The GVSU Library provides access to many kinds of sources both online and in print.

What Kinds of Sources are There?

Types of Publications

• Primary 
• Secondary
• Popular
• Professional/Trade
• Academic
• Scholarly
• Peer-reviewed or Refereed

Types of Content

• Data Sets
• Dissertations/Theses
• Government Documents
• Journal Articles
• Magazine or Newspaper Articles
• Web Resources
• Works of Art

How Do I Find Them?

You can find sources by going online or using print sources in person, such as books or newspaper articles you would check out from the library. Use the keywords that you developed during the brainstorming process as your search terms.

• For information by discipline: GVSU Subject Guides
• For getting started: GVSU Library Search
• For books: GVSU Library catalog 

Research Tip!

Cite your sources and take useful notes as you research using our Source Cover Sheet.

RELATED IDEAS

• Understanding my assignment
• Topic selection:
  • Choosing a topic from scratch
  • Choosing a topic from a theme
  • Choosing a topic with subject terms
• Brainstorming strategies:
  • Concept mapping
  • Asking questions
  • Narrowing a topic
  • Broadening a topic
  • Developing a research question
  • Choosing keywords
• Is your source peer-reviewed?
• Evaluating sources

RELATED IDEAS

• Understanding Your Assignment
• Brainstorming Strategies:
  • Concept Mapping
  • Asking Questions
  • Narrowing a Topic
  • Broadening a Topic
  • Choosing Keywords
• Topic selection:
  • Choosing a topic from scratch
  • Choosing a topic from a theme
  • Choosing a topic with subject terms
• Developing a Research Question
• Is my Source Peer Reviewed?