The type of information you need may change depending on the question you are trying to answer and the parameters of your assignment.
What is good information for one use is not necessarily good for another.
This table shows how information sources can vary by the context of your information need.
If you need | Find |
Expert evidence | Scholarly articles, books, research reports, and statistical data |
Public or individual opinion on an issue | Newspapers/ news sources, magazines, and websites |
Basic facts about an event | Newspapers/ news sources, and books |
Eye-witness accounts | Newspapers, primary source books, and web-based collections of primary sources |
General overview of a topic | Books or encyclopedias |
Information about a current topic | Websites, newspapers, and magazines |
Local information | Newspapers, websites, and books |
Information from professionals working in the field | Professional, trade journals |
[Table slightly adapted from the Library's Credible Sources tutorial]
From NCSU: https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/tutorials/scholarly-popular/
There are also different types of articles in scholarly journals.