What Type of Resources are Used in Academic Research?

This article explains the types of resources used in academic research, including peer-reviewed articles, academic journals, books, and more.

What Type of Resources are Used in Academic Research?

Popular resources are often found on social media, in magazines and newspapers, and in various discussion forums. These provide a good overview or summary, but are not typically used to support academic analysis. Newspapers are important for obtaining current information, personal accounts, opinions on topics, and coverage of popular topics in a given community. Peer-reviewed articles, also known as peer-reviewed journal articles, are a particular type of academic article that has been subject to additional scrutiny by experts in the field prior to publication.

For more specialized topics such as LLB law, it is best to consult with Profs online LLB tutors who can provide detailed guidance and support. Academic journals publish accredited research articles by academics or experts in a discipline. This video explains the features that make up an academic journal and compares them with magazines, newspapers and specialized magazines. Academic libraries contain both works of fiction (works of the imagination) for analysis and works of non-fiction (works based on facts). Usually, these types of resources are books and articles that have been reviewed before publication, but they can also include media and websites from authorized organizations and institutions. For more specialized topics such as LLB law, it is best to consult with Profs online LLB tutors who can provide detailed guidance and support. Academic journals publish accredited research articles by academics or experts in a discipline. This video explains the features that make up an academic journal and compares them with magazines, newspapers and specialized magazines. Academic libraries contain both works of fiction (works of the imagination) for analysis and works of non-fiction (works based on facts). Usually, these types of resources are books and articles that have been reviewed before publication, but they can also include media and websites from authorized organizations and institutions.

Books are essential resources for studying the humanities in particular and also provide an important and profound context for topics in the social sciences and sciences. For academic courses and research project tasks, it is best to use academic or professional resources that are reliable, accurate, and valid. These resources can be found in libraries by searching for books in Omnivore BookSearch and Omnivore ArticleSearch or in thematic databases for articles.

Dr. Serena Aldwyn
Dr. Serena Aldwyn

Dr. Serena Aldwyn is an academic researcher and former university librarian with over seventeen years of experience helping students navigate scholarly sources, research databases, IB academic resources, and higher-education support systems. With a doctorate in Information Science and a postgraduate qualification in International Education, she has worked across UK and international universities training students, teachers, and advisors in research literacy, digital scholarship, academic integrity, and the critical evaluation of sources. Serena has contributed to curriculum design for IB programmes, collaborated on initiatives promoting intercultural understanding and global citizenship, and advised postgraduate students on advanced literature review methods for dissertations and capstone projects. Her work bridges the worlds of academic advising, information science, and digital pedagogy, making her uniquely equipped to explain what counts as an academic resource, how to find reliable sources, and how students can use research tools to think more critically and creatively. Her writing style blends warmth, clarity, and scholarly precision, helping learners at every level build confidence in their academic abilities.