Identifying Source Types
ENGL 122
Spring 2008
PROJECT 2: Identifying Source Types
In order to complete project 2 successfully, you’ll need to be able to identify the source type for each of the sources you locate. (This will also enable you to select the appropriate citation type for the works cited entries).
Your source may be
- A periodical from a subscription database
- A periodical from a web site
- A web site
In order to decide, you’ll need to ask
Periodical or Web site?
Periodical= information is from a newspaper, magazine, academic journal
Website = information is only available on the internet; it cannot be found in print or in a database of sources
**** Online versions of periodicals are periodicals, not websites
Subscription Database or Free Website?
Subscription database = Academic ASAP, Academic Search Premier, Lexis/Nexis, etc.
Free website = anything you can access on the web (
What kind of Periodical?
For periodicals: Journal or newspaper or magazine?
(see “Journal or Magazine” on the class web page)
For magazines: general or special interest?
(see “Journal or Magazine” on the class web page)
For newspapers:New York Times? National? Local? Student?
For websites:Junk or Qualified (authority, credibility)?
(see “Using the Internet for Academic Research” on the class web page)
Domain (.edu, .org, .gov, .net) vs .com
See the examples on the back of this sheet
Examples from Project 1
Periodical examples (information available in print)
Farrell and Hoover, “Getting Schooled”
this is a reprint of an article published in the Chonicle of Higher Education
retrieved from
= a periodical (special interest magazine) from a website
Brem, “What Am I Doing”
this is a reprint of an article published in the Chronicle of Higher Education
retrieved from Academic Search Premier
= a periodical (special interest magazine) from a subscription database
Trout, “Student Evaluations”
this is a reprint of an article published in Commonweal
retrieved from
= A periodical (general interest magazine) from a website
Website examples: information available only online
Krause, “Are There Any Freshmen Reading This?”
this is a blog entry; it was not printed in a newspaper or magazine or journal article
found at
= web site, qualified (author is an expert on topic), .com domain
Rate My Professor
this is a web forum; it is not a reprint of a magazine or newspaper or journal artilce
found at
= web site, junk (no authority or credibility), .com domain
Cathy Small, “My Freshman Year”
this is an interview published online; it is not a reprint of a published article
found on
= web site, qualified (author is an expert on topic), .com domain