Information needs can come in many different forms. What time does the movie start? Where is the closest restaurant? Who is my senator? Who won the 1982 World Series? What were the causes of the American Civil War? What are the health effects of vaping? These are all information needs.
What do I need?
The kind of source that you use may differ depending on what kind of information that you are seeking.
| Source Type | Timeline | Characteristics | Authority | Audience | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Media | Immediate | Timely, but often fraught with misinformation or incomplete information. |
Highly variable |
General public | Current events, pop culture |
| Newspapers | 1 day | Timely. Usually reputable but may be biased. Depending on event, information may be incomplete. | Usually written by reporters. | General Public | Current events, news coverage |
| Magazines | Weeks to Months | Less timely. Information usually more complete. | Usually written by reporters. May be written by authors with background in subject. | General public | News, pop culture, hobbies, personal interest |
| Journal Articles | Months to years | Long lag before publication. Journals are usually more scholarly in nature and are often peer reviewed. Often based on original research. | Written by scholars in the field. | Students, practitioners, scholars of the field. | Scholarly articles based on original research, expert opinions, scholarly communication |
| Books | Years | Very long lag before publication. Long editorial process. | Varies widely | Varies widely | Background information, overview of a topic |
| Reference Books | Years | Very long lag before publication. Long editorial process. | Usually multiple authors/editors with expertise in field. | General public, students, scholars | Facts, figures, quotes, definitions, brief overviews of a topic |