Currency

As seen from the information timeline, different types of publications are produced over time. Primary resources usually retain permanent interest because they are either the original source or an un-interpreted account of. In comparison, information in secondary sources can date. Consider whether your topic is affected by time.

Examples

Current topics
Research in areas where information is currently changing will require the most recent information available e.g. journals, newspapers. It is possible that your topic may not have been published within a book or what is available is out-of-date.

Historical overview of a topic
Using both retrospective and contemporary information may be useful to gather different views on an historical event.

Retrospective information looks back on an event e.g. current books discussing an historical topic

Contemporary information is produced at the time of an event e.g. newspapers, photographs, magazines.

Electronic v Print