Popular sources comprise most of what we read everyday. They can be found in library databases as well as on the internet. Popular sources can be written by anyone, then published and shared within minutes (especially online). News articles are typically written by journalists. They are not subject experts on the topics they are writing about, but they are expert writers. Journalists are often assigned articles to write by their editor, which means they have to go out and research what's happening before they can report on it. Those articles are reviewed by editors, who may ask the journalist to make changes before the articles are published.
Popular sources are written about a variety of topics. The website may contain ads. Popular sources often include photographs and may or may not link to their sources of information.
The purpose of popular sources can vary greatly:
Depending on what kind of information you need, popular sources might be better for your use.
Below is an example of a common popular source NPR (news media).
Citation: Selyukh, A. (2024, May 20). Red lobster files for bankruptcy after missteps including all-you-can-eat shrimp. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/05/20/1252426585/red-lobster-bankruptcy
