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Research Basics

Popular Sources

Popular sources refer to information sources that are designed for general audiences and include newspapers, magazines, blogs, and social media. These sources are not typically peer-reviewed and often prioritize entertainment, sensationalism, or advertising over accuracy and completeness. While popular sources can provide useful insights or opinions, they may not always be reliable or suitable for research papers. This is because the information presented may be incomplete, biased, or inaccurate, and may not be based on credible evidence or research. Additionally, popular sources may not be subject to the same rigorous fact-checking and peer-review processes as scholarly sources, which can compromise their reliability and accuracy.

Therefore, when conducting research, it is important to use a variety of sources, including peer-reviewed articles, scholarly books, and reputable websites, in addition to popular sources. This helps to ensure that the information used is reliable, accurate, and up-to-date, and can help to produce high-quality research that is based on a solid foundation of evidence and scholarship.

Examples of Popular Sources

Time Magazine  The New York Times People Magazine

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