Information can be packaged in many different genres, which may also be called formats. Audience, tone, and content can vary by genre/format, and not all genres/formats are easy to find. Some genres/formats are considered more academic while others have little academic value. The chart below shows how some common information genres/formats rank on a scale from less academic to more academic and also shows where those genres/formats are most easily found.

Chart based on graphic created by St. Edward's University's Munday Library.