How To Find Reliable Sources For Research Paper

Aug 08 2023 | 05 min read

How To Find Reliable Sources For Research Paper

Many people need the idea to write a research paper and find credible sources from where they can find all the data. And writing a research paper requires in-depth knowledge, deep analysis of the chosen topic, a lot of patience, and finding credible sources. To complete your Ph.D. and Master's degree, you must submit the research paper at the end, demonstrating your skills such as reading comprehension, cohesive writing, and critical writing.

To find reliable sources for the research paper, the first source that comes to mind is the internet, where you can find all the information you need. The internet is filled with information as you can get reliable sources, or you can get sources that are unreliable or not verified by your peers.

So finding relevant and reliable sources for research paper writing is critical to succeeding in your research paper.

Types Of Sources For Research Paper

Finding credible sources for research is essential, but what are the benchmarks to determine whether a source is credible? For your research, you can find references from different places like the internet, articles, newspapers, news, public libraries, and government databases, but how will you find which are credible and reliable sources for the research?

You can classify the credibility of the sources into three types: primary source, secondary source, and tertiary source. Each source has its importance. The primary source helps us to research more about the topics, and the secondary and tertiary source helps to find the related facts and figures.

First, look for reliable sources on government websites, educational websites, and scientific journals. Thus the three key sources for the research are websites, journal articles, and news.

Reliable Websites

The data obtained from the website must be carefully evaluated and checked to ensure use on the paper, mainly if the data was obtained from the website. Nowadays, anybody can edit and publish data anonymously on online pages without any reliability. The best source to use for research should come from government or educational websites. The US Census Bureau, NHS, and WHO are the most trusted research websites.

Reliable Journal Articles

Journal articles come as a secondary source for the research papers. They are great for acquiring specific data and in-depth analysis of a topic. Credible journal articles are easy to select as it contains so much information on the first page, such as the author's name and education, the year it was published and if it was peer-reviewed, etc. Some academic sources include Google Scholar, Oxford Academic, and the Public Library of Science.

You can validate the research paper sources by utilizing the CRAAP test for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and purpose. And by the test, you can use or discard the sources.

Trustworthy News

On the list, you can add news as a source for a research paper that requires more time to analyze and decide whether the data can be used. To find good sources for research, include news from reputable publishers like The Washington Post.

Reliable Sources Of Research Papers

Many pieces of information are available on the internet from different websites and articles. The main concern is to get a reliable and credible source for the research paper.

  • Go for the government organization's websites because they are regulated and safe. In government sites, all the articles are reviewed, and they are credible.
  • Journals, newspapers, articles, and magazines are appropriate sources for research papers, but newsletters, magazines, and articles do not have bibliographic information.
  • Academic libraries and databases are reliable, trustworthy sources that include a bibliography that identifies the author's history. Many paid materials can be accessed with school and university login. Google Scholar and ScienceDirect are the most popular and credible academic libraries and databases. These are the sites from where students access the data quickly and conveniently.
  • Abstracts and indexes are good sources of information that the reader can determine if the data will be helpful in their research. Abstracts give an overview of the material and can decide whether to include it, while indexes help jump directly to the topic that needs to be included in the research.
  • Newspaper indexes are the best options for research studies that use past data, which generally have information composed of name, date, subject, and other essential details found in newspapers. It helps readers and writers to access and organize data quickly and acquire specific facts.
  • Reference books can be used to get further knowledge about a topic. The books can be found in the bibliography of other books, websites, and credible sites that cite the information displayed.
  • You can conduct interviews with experts in the field as a part of the study. Or you can get expert advice and refer to books written or directed by them.

Sources should be avoided while conducting research.

You know from which resources you can find good sources for the research paper, but it is essential to know which resources can be avoided while conducting research. When you find material and want to fact-check, consider the author's background, credentials, and publication date, and the article is peer-reviewed. Not journals, websites, magazines, or other sources can give these types of details that help students conclude using that information on a research paper.

  • Wikipedia is unreliable for a research paper because of a lack of credentials, and anyone can change or edit the materials presented. It can be an excellent place to start your research, but this website should not use official data.
  • Many professionals and organizations use social media to convey their knowledge about specific subjects, but this can have a particular impact on the work's credibility. Fake news spreads false information about current and past events and uses social media and its counterparts.
  • Old books should not be used to acquire data and information because they need to be updated and might become obsolete, which is unreliable and cannot be used for academic purposes.
  • Nowadays, anyone can write and publish blogs and information that cannot be verified; hence, this source should be avoided when conducting research.

Now you know how to find reliable sources for your research paper. And next is to write your research paper and get a good "A" grade. And if you are facing problems getting it done, Write My Dissertation For Me is there to help you in the process of writing a dissertation and finding all the sources for your research papers. You can seek help and request services like editing, formatting, proofreading, referencing, and more.

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