Source

Source is a term used in various fields, including computing, journalism, and academia, to refer to the origin of information or data. In a broader sense, a source can be anything that provides information, whether it's a person, a document, a website, or a physical object.

Computing

In the field of computing, a source refers to the original code of a software program. This code, often written in a programming language such as Python, Java, or C++, is what developers use to build and modify the software. The term "source code" is often used to distinguish this original, human-readable code from the compiled, machine-readable code that a computer can execute.

Journalism

In journalism, a source is a person, document, or other entity that provides information for a news story. Journalists rely on sources to gather accurate and reliable information for their reporting. Sources can be anonymous or named, and they can provide information on the record (for publication), off the record (not for publication), or on background (for context but not direct quotation).

Academia

In academia, a source is a document, person, or other entity that provides information or evidence for a research paper, thesis, or dissertation. Sources can be primary (original documents or firsthand accounts), secondary (interpretations or analyses of primary sources), or tertiary (summaries or overviews of primary and secondary sources). Academic integrity requires that researchers properly cite all sources used in their work.

See also

• Source code
• Anonymous source
• Primary source
• Secondary source
• Tertiary source