Good quality academic information can come from these reliable sources:

• Books (usually well researched, and recent academic texts written by experts)
• Chapters in edited books (usually collections of texts written by different authors on common issues)
• Journal articles (from academic journals)
• Conference papers

Other sources of good information are:

•      Government reports
•      Industry or non-government organisation reports
•      Legislation
•      Court cases
•      Australian Bureau of Statistics data
•      Opinion pieces from quality papers (e.g. The Australian, The Age, The Guardian, Financial Review)
•      Opinion pieces from quality trade magazines (e.g. The Economist, The Monthly)
•      Reputable internet sources*

* Reputable internet sources include universities, governmental organisations (e.g., Australian Bureau of Statistics) or other well-known organisations (e.g., the United Nations, International Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières, or Australian Institute of Criminology) that offer well researched material. Beware of internet sources where you cannot verify the source of the material.

Important Note: When you are writing academic assignments, it is not recommended to cite class notes or other material directly from your class space. Preferably, locate the original source of the concept you are using, which can usually be found in lists of references or readings in the Unit Guide or the textbook for each unit you are studying. You can also ask your lecturer or the librarian for guidance.