Communication Studies Courses: Finding Relevant Sources

Generally speaking, we are able to learn more detailed and accurate information about a subject as more and more time goes on.

For example, a news agency will release social media alerts about a developing event before a full news article can be written and published about the event. The social media allows the news agency to cover the story quickly and engage their audience as the story develops, but the social media may not provide a comprehensive picture of the story until an article is ready to be written and published. 

Take a look at the Information Timeline Graphic to understand how information develops over time. You can also check out this video from East Carolina University's Joyner Library!

Take a few moments to view the video below:

Different information formats can offer different kinds of information to suit a variety of information needs. You can use the table and/or worksheet attached below to help you decide what kind of source format will best fit a given information need.