1.9: Conclusion

Critical Thinking

If you were looking for information for purchasing a new car, does the format that the information comes in matter to you? Are there times when digital information is more desired than print information? Does the source of the information and its reliability matter to you? Consider how your answers to these questions might change if you're doing scholarly research instead.

When important events and discoveries happen, information is created and shared with other people. People who experience these events share out their experiences (primary sources). Later on, this information is reviewed and studied by researchers who produce new perspectives on those experiences (secondary sources). As they create this information, authors choose which format to share their information in. Both print and online formats have their advantages and disadvantages, with online formats being less permanent but often more accessible.

As we move into the next chapter, we will look at the ethics of using information including citing these various different types of sources.

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