Where do I find information sources?

Information sources can be found in different places; some can be found through several tools, while others are only available using a specific search tool. This can sometimes depend on whether the item is physical or electronic.

Choosing the right tool is an important part of efficient and effective searching, as mentioned in the Information Searching Lifecycle.

The three main types of search tools are:

• Library search tools such as QUT's Library Search - can assist you in finding books, ebooks, journal articles or magazines and newspapers
• Databases - can be specialised, such as those for legislation or standards, as well as being a tool for finding journal articles, conference proceedings or newspaper articles
• Internet search engines - best for finding webpages, publicly accessible Government reports or for searching social media.

Different sources are found by searching different tools, with some sources - such as multimedia - being found across multiple search tools. Understanding which tools to choose is an important part of to finding the right kind of information.