Hierarchy of Sources

 

  1. Primary sources – not what something said Aristotle said, what Aristotle ACTUALLY said

 

  1. Books

Academic publishers (MIT University Press, U of California, Southern Illinois, etc.)

Trade press (Sage, etc.)

Commercial press (Double Day, Simon & Schuster, etc.)

 

  1. Articles appearing in academic journals

 

  1. Studies and research reports

 

  1. Interviews with an expert in the area you are researching

 

  1. National & international news weeklies (Newsweek, U.S. News & World Reports, The Economist, etc.)

 

  1. Newspapers – real ones (Washington Post, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, etc.)

 

  1. Official university and governmental web pages

Public agency and individual reputable researchers’ web pages

 

  1. T.V. and radio shows

 

  1. Interviews with non-experts (your friends)

 

  1. Non-sponsored internet sites, web pages and discussion groups

 

  1. Faith-based texts

 

  1. Anecdotal evidence (own stories)

 

 

This is a general guide for you to use to determine the credibility of sources. There is leeway in the exact numbering of each type of source, depending on the audience you are speaking to and your chosen topic.

 

Always take measures to check the credibility and usefulness of your sources for your particular rhetorical situation.