Sources Appropriate for College Students

Hey all, I'm currently a junior in high school and researching for a big project. What would you consider the most appropriate and reliable sources for a high schooler/college student to use? Is there a standard or does it vary? Cheers!

Hey! First off, it's fantastic that you're being conscientious about your sources - that's an important skill throughout your academic career and beyond. Now, onto your question: the appropriateness and reliability of sources can definitely vary depending on the nature of your project. However, there are some general guidelines you can follow.

1. Scholarly articles: As a high schooler transitioning to college-level work, utilizing scholarly or peer-reviewed articles is a great starting point. These are written by experts in their respective fields, so you know you're getting information from a knowledgeable source. Websites like JSTOR, Google Scholar, or your school's online library resources may give you access to such articles.

2. Academic books: These are most often written by experts and go through an extensive editorial process. If your subject is literature, philosophy, history, or the humanities, you'll likely lean heavily on this category.

3. Government or Educational institution publications: Reports, white papers, and studies published by government bodies (like the CDC, for example) or educational institutions are generally considered dependable sources.

4. Well-respected news agencies: Major news outlets like The New York Times or BBC can also provide a great deal of insightful information, especially for more current topics.

5. Reputable online databases: Websites like PubMed, LexisNexis, and so on have a vast array of articles and reports.

Be cautious about using sources such as Wikipedia, personal blogs, or otherwise non-peer-reviewed online content. They can certainly be useful for gaining a general understanding of a subject, but because they aren't typically vetted for accuracy in the same rigorous fashion, they shouldn't make up the bulk of your citations. For subjects like art or film, thought, more subjective takes might make up a lot of your research and that's okay!

Last, but not least, remember that a source's appropriateness also depends on your project's requirements, so make sure your resources meet any guidelines set by your teacher. Hope this helps and good luck with your project!