In order to write a balanced research paper, you'll want to include information from a variety of sources.

For very current information, magazine, journal and newspaper articles are a better research source than books.

• Why articles and not books? Information usually appears first in newspapers, then later in magazines and journals. Books, which take time to write, edit, and publish, may not appear on the scene until months or even years later.

Think about the topic you're writing about and consider if articles are a better for your research needs.

Articles vs. Books

Here's a quick comparison between what you'll find in articles and what you'll find in books:

Articles