When studying at university, it is important that you use a wide range of academic sources to inform your studies and support your arguments. These can include books, journal articles, reports, statistical data, audio visual recordings and, where appropriate, reputable websites. You might also need to use subject relevant materials such as marketing reports or photo books.
Different types of academic source provide different types of information which, in turn, have their own strengths and can be used for different purposes. For example, books can provide broad overviews of a topic and grounded background context. Journal articles offer in-depth research and theoretical debate of specific issues. Other sources may provide interesting insights into your chosen topic or inspire ideas and creativity.
By engaging with academic sources, you show your ability to read and interact with the scholarly conversation underpinning your chosen subject. You can support your arguments with well-founded evidence and demonstrate the depth of knowledge you've gained from your reading. By using a mix of different types of academic sources, you will gain access to multiple perspectives of your topic, and use these to form your own opinions, demonstrate independent thinking, and be able to build balanced, credible arguments and personal viewpoints.
When you first start at university, or begin a new module, you'll find a lot of useful academic materials collated in the Resource List for the module. These contain resources and guided reading selected by your tutor, which are available in either physical or digital form from the Library.
Resource lists are a great place to start, but as you progress with your studies you'll need to engage with the wider breadth of literature available, both from the Library and beyond. You can also access Subject Guides to resources which are lists of academic sources collated by your subject librarian and designed to help you explore further.
