There are a variety of specialised information types within the academic environment. You may be required to use particular types of sources in your assessments.
Peer-reviewed and scholarly sources
Primary and secondary sources
Evidence-based practice
Systematic reviews
Grey literature
Specialised information
Peer-reviewed and scholarly sources
Peer-reviewed articles
Peer-reviewed articles (also known as refereed articles) undergo an extensive editorial process and professional scrutiny to ensure accuracy and high quality.
Check if a journal is peer-reviewed
- In some databases, you can limit search results to peer-reviewed articles only. Select the 'Scholarly' or 'Peer-reviewed articles' limiter.
- Select the 'Peer-reviewed journals' filter when using Library search. In the results list, articles will display the peer reviewed icon.
- The journal's website may list peer-reviewed information.
Scholarly sources
- Written by experts with academic qualifications and/or authoritative knowledge in the field
- Evidence-based
- Aimed at a scholarly audience
- Include references
- Not always peer-reviewed, and therefore warrant checking
Primary sources
Primary sources provide a first-hand account of an event or time period. They are usually the first formal appearance of original research.
Examples of primary resources
- Original documents e.g. birth certificates, trial transcripts
- Biographies, autobiographies, manuscripts
- Creative art works, literature
- Speeches, oral histories, interviews
- Diaries, letters, ships' logs
- Theses or dissertations
- Constitutions, case law, legislation, regulations,
- Government documents, statistical data, research reports
- Journal articles reporting new research or findings (original research)
- Newspaper reportage and editorial/opinion pieces
Secondary sources
Secondary sources offer an analysis, interpretation or restatement of primary sources.
Examples of secondary sources
- Journal articles that analyse or comment on research
- Textbooks
- Theses or dissertations
- Books that interpret, analyse
- Biographies
- Dictionaries and encyclopaedias
- Political commentary
- Newspaper editorial/opinion pieces
- Criticisms of music, art work or literature
Evidence-based practice
Learn about what evidence-based practice is, and how to find relevant resources.
Systematic reviews
Discover the definition of a systematic review, and learn the difference between systematic and literature reviews.
Grey literature
Grey literature refers to both published and unpublished research material that is not available commercially.
Find out how to locate grey literature for use in your research.
Specialised information
