Current and historical sources
Sometimes your research will require you to find the most current information on a topic. As the publishing time for a journal article is much shorter than for a book, the information found in journals is usually more current.
However, if you are researching an historical event such as the development of Sydney from its beginning as a penal colony, you need to consult both older material including primary sources – letters and diaries, paintings/photographs, government reports, popular sources such as newspapers, secondary sources such as textbooks and also more recent material – again a mix of primary, secondary, scholarly and popular resources.
Current Sources |
Historical Sources |
Daily newspaper Recent publications – books and journals Current reprinted editions of books Internet sites – make sure you use a reliable site which is regularly updated CDATA Online (ABS) – data from the most recent Australian Census of Population & Housing |
Old newspapers – possibly
kept on microfilm |
