Types of Book Sources
In an academic library, the books purchased support the research efforts of faculty and students. Each of the subject-specific libraries concentrate their collections on the disciplines they support. Books are categorized into two broad areas: fiction and non-fiction. While mostly non-fiction, any fiction books purchased often support Humanities research. The contemporary literature section in the Hick Undergraduate Library is an exception.
Most non-fiction can be grouped into three categories.
Single-Fact
Provides answers to simple factual questions. Typically it is a name, a place, a number, a year, a percentage, etc. See a list of these types of sources.
General
These are useful when getting started on your topic development. Most often these are found in the library's reference section. See a list of these types of sources.
In-Depth
This type of information source is the at the heart of academic research. Much of what you will use throughout your college career will be in-depth information. Most of this tutorial focuses on searching, collecting, analyzing, and evaluating this information.