Organizational Leadership: Library Guide

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Effective August 30-December 20, 2021

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Remember to think about the following when choosing a topic!

Who

• Who/what organization is responsible for this information?
• What are the author's credentials or qualifications? What makes him/her an authority on this subject?
• What is the organization's mission? Do they tell you?
• If you can't find the answers to these questions, you may want to avoid using the source.

What

• What makes this source of information credible?
• What is the review or editorial process that the information has gone through to ensure accuracy? None? Peer-reviewed? Editorial board?

Why

• Why was this information source created? To Inform or educate? To Persuade? To Sell? To Entertain? To call people to action?
• Is there a potential for bias? Are differing viewpoints presented? In a balanced way?

Where

• Where did the information come from?
• Does the author tell you the source of his/her information? Are sources cited so that you can follow-up and verify them?
• If the source is a brief report on a research finding or event, can you find an original or more complete source of information on which it is based?

When

• When was the information created/published?
• If dates are given, can you tell what they mean? Published? Revised? First posted?
• Can you determine if the information is current or outdated? Is it important that the information is recent?

How

• How do you plan to use this information? 
• Do you need an authoritative source? Do you need an objective source? Do you need a testimonial to support a particular argument?
• How in-depth is the information? Does it provide enough detailed information for a college level research paper?

PRIMARY SOURCE is a document or record containing firsthand information or original data on a topic. Primary sources are usually created by individuals who experienced the event and recorded or wrote about it. 

Common examples of primary sources include:

• Letters, Diaries, Memoirs, Speeches, Newspapers written at time of event
• Court cases, Manuscripts, Patents, Audio/Visual Recordings, Census Figures
• Photographs, Artwork, Artifacts, Maps
• Original research studies
• Interviews and Oral Histories

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SECONDARY SOURCE is one that was created later by someone that did not experience firsthand or participate in the events in which the author is writing about. Secondary sources often summarize, interpret, analyze or comment on information found in primary sources.

Common examples of secondary sources include:

• Most Books, Biographies, Essays
• Encyclopedias, Literary Criticisms
• Journal articles that do not present new research

• Have a citation style book or web page handy.
• Be consistent when citing your sources.
• Librarians and Academic Services are here to help!

Mendeley

A free cloud-based program that automatically cites your sources, stores your articles, and can be shared with anyone you allow.