The quality of the sources you use will influence the quality of your academic work. Before including a source in your assignment, you should evaluate it critically. Consider who created the source, why it was created, whether the information is accurate and up to date, and whether it is appropriate for academic work.

The following source types should be used with caution and are generally not recommended as the main sources in academic texts.

Student assignments

As a rule, you should avoid using other students’ assignments as sources, especially assignments written at the bachelor's level.
One reason is that it can be difficult to assess their academic quality. Although some student assignments are excellent, others may contain misunderstandings, weak argumentation, or factual errors. Unlike scholarly publications, student assignments are not normally subject to extensive peer review.
Student assignments can still be useful as inspiration. They may help you identify a topic, understand how an assignment can be structured, or discover useful academic sources in the reference list. If you find a relevant source in a student's bibliography, you should consult and cite the original source rather than the student assignment itself.

Wikipedia

Wikipedia can be a useful starting point when exploring a topic, but it is generally not considered an academic source.
Articles can be edited by anyone, and contributors often remain anonymous. Although many Wikipedia articles are accurate and well maintained, you cannot always verify who wrote the content or what expertise they have in the subject area.
Use Wikipedia to gain an overview of a topic, identify key concepts, or find references. Always verify information using academic sources and cite those sources rather than Wikipedia itself.

Artificial intelligence tools

Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Copilot, can produce convincing text, but the information they generate may contain inaccuracies, omissions, or bias.
Academic sources must be verifiable, meaning that readers should be able to locate and evaluate the original source of the information. Since AI tools generate responses rather than provide original academic evidence, they should not be used as sources of factual information.
AI tools can be helpful for brainstorming, generating keywords, refining research questions, or improving the clarity of your writing. However, the information included in your assignment should always be verified using reliable and citable academic sources.

Online discussions and internet forums

Content published in online discussions, comment sections, and internet forums should generally not be used as academic sources.
Anyone can contribute to these platforms, often anonymously, and claims are rarely supported by evidence. Information may be subjective, inaccurate, or difficult to verify.
Such sources may sometimes be relevant if you are studying public opinion, online communities, or digital communication. In these cases, the forum itself becomes an object of study rather than a source of factual information.

Popular science publications

Popular science books, magazines, podcasts, and websites are written for a general audience rather than for researchers or students in a specific discipline.
These sources often explain complex topics in an accessible way, but they may simplify findings and omit important methodological details, debates, and uncertainties.
Popular science sources can be useful for gaining an overview of a subject, but academic assignments should be based primarily on scholarly literature.

Educational websites for school students

Websites designed for primary, secondary, or upper-secondary education often present information in a simplified form.
While these resources may be accurate, they are usually not written with university-level study in mind. They often lack detailed discussions, references to current research, and academic analysis.

Commercial sources

Commercial sources are created to promote a product, service, or companies. Because of this purpose, they may present information selectively and focus on positive aspects while downplaying limitations or criticism.
Examples include company websites, product pages, sponsored content, and advertisements.
Commercial sources may be relevant when examining marketing strategies or branding, but they should be used cautiously and rarely as objective evidence.

Influencers, blogs and social media

Influencers, bloggers, and social media creators often present personal opinions, experiences, or commercially motivated content.
Because the information is usually subjective and not subject to academic review, these sources are generally not suitable as evidence in academic assignments.
Some researchers and academic institutions maintain blogs and social media accounts that communicate research findings to a wider audience. Even in these cases, it is preferable to locate and cite the original research publication whenever possible.

News media

Newspapers, news websites, and broadcast media can be valuable sources for documenting current events, public debates, and media coverage.
However, journalists are usually reporting on research rather than conducting the research themselves. News articles may simplify findings, omit methodological details, or focus on the most newsworthy aspects of a story.
When a news report discusses research, it is usually better to locate and use the original research article, report, or dataset if available.