is a research report a primary or secondary source

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Primary Vs Secondary Source – Which to Use?

Published by Owen Ingram at August 21st, 2023 , Revised On August 21, 2023

When researching or exploring a new topic, the distinction between primary and secondary sources is paramount. The relevance, validity and reliability  of the information you gather will heavily depend on the type of source you consult. 

Let’s discuss the difference between primary and secondary sources. 

What is a Primary Source?

Primary source s offer first-hand accounts or direct evidence of the events, objects, people, or works of art they represent. These sources are often created by witnesses or first recorders of these events when they occurred or even later. 

Some examples of primary sources include:

• Original Documents: Diaries, letters, manuscripts, autobiographies, interview transcripts.
• Artefacts: Clothing, tools, works of art, architectural structures.
• Official Records: Census data, marriage certificates, birth certificates.
• Photographs & Audio-Visual Materials: Photographs, films, audio recordings, video recordings.
• Raw Data: Original research data and laboratory notes.
• Oral Histories: Interviews, oral reports, and personal storytelling.
• Contemporary Newspapers, Magazines, or Reports: From the time period in question.

Advantages of Primary Sources

• Authenticity: Primary sourc es provide direct evidence or first-hand account of an event, making them highly authentic.
• Depth and Detail: They offer in-depth insights, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the subject.
• Original Perspective: They reflect the personal perspective of the original author or the direct observer, allowing a closer connection to the events or phenomena.

Limitations of Primary Sources

• Potential Bias: Primary sources may carry the creator’s cognitive bias or explicit bias , which could impact their accuracy.
• Time-Consuming: Analysing and interpreting primary sources can be time-intensive.
• Limited Scope: Due to an actor-observer bias , they may not provide a broader context or interpretation of the events.

What is a Secondary Source?

Secondary source s analyse, interpret, or summarise information from primary sources. They offer a second-hand account and often provide context, interpretation, or a broader topic overview. The challenge here is to be wary of confirmation bias that can inadvertently influence these interpretations.

Examples of secondary sources include:

• Books: Often scholarly source books that interpret or analyse a topic or event.
• Articles: Journal or magazine articles that provide commentary, criticism, or analysis.
• Biographies: Life stories of individuals, which are interpretive accounts.
• Documentaries: Films that interpret or analyse historical events or figures.
• Encyclopedias & Reference Works: Summarised information on topics.
• Reviews: Literature reviews , Critiques of books, films, art, and other works.
• Essays & Critiques: Where the author analyses or comments on someone else’s work.

Advantages of Secondary Sources

• Comprehensive Overview: Secondary sources usually present a broader topic overview, providing context.
• Time-Efficiency: They summarise and interpret vast amounts of primary data, making it easier for the researcher, especially if they have a bias for action .
• Expert Analysis: Many secondary sources are produced by experts, offering informed and scholarly interpretations of primary information.

Limitations of Secondary Sources

• Potential for Misinterpretation: As these sources provide an interpretation, there’s a risk of publication bias or the Pygmalion effect influencing their perspectives.
• Possible Bias: The authors of secondary sources might introduce their own affinity bias , influencing the interpretation.
• Not as Current: Secondary interpretations might not reflect the latest findings or recent changes in understanding.

What is the Difference Between Primary and Secondary Sources?

How to Tell if a Source is Primary or Secondary

Telling if a source is primary or secondary can be pivotal in many types of research. When doing this differentiation, a good source evaluation method is indispensable.

Here is a guide to help you differentiate:

Primary Sources

Characteristics.

• Original Materials: Uninterpreted, unfiltered records of a time, event, people, or work.
• First-hand Information: It is directly from the person(s) involved or who directly witnessed an event.
• Unaltered State: Usually not changed or altered after their creation, unless they have been annotated or transcribed.
• Period: Typically from the time of the event or shortly thereafter.
• Autobiographies and memoirs
• Diaries, letters, emails, and other correspondence
• Photographs, audio recordings, and videos
• Raw research data
• Original hand-written manuscripts
• Official documents (birth certificates, trial transcripts)
• Artefacts, such as clothing, tools, or weapons
• Interviews, surveys, or fieldwork
• Newspapers and magazine articles written at the time of an event

Questions to Ask:

• Was this source created by someone directly involved in the events I’m researching?
• Was it created at the time of the event or shortly thereafter?
• Does it provide first-hand testimony or direct evidence concerning my topic?

Secondary Sources:

• Interpretation/Analysis: These sources discuss, interpret, analyse, consolidate, or “repackage” primary sources.
• Second-hand Information: It is one step removed from the primary original source.
• Summary/Overview: Often summarises or provides an overview of a topic based on primary sources.
• Books discussing a subject or historical event
• Journal articles reviewing past research
• Histories or documentaries
• Commentaries or critiques
• Encyclopedias or biographical works

Questions to Ask

• Does this source reinterpret or evaluate primary source materials?
• Was it created significantly after the events being discussed?
• Does it summarise or repackage information from other sources?

Remember, the distinction is not always clear-cut. Depending on the research question and context, some sources can function as both primary and secondary. For instance, a newspaper article can be a primary source when studying media portrayal of events at the time, but a secondary source is used for a historical overview. Always consider the nature of your research and the purpose of using the source.

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Primary Vs Secondary Sources: Which is Better?

Whether primary or secondary sources are “better” is subjective and depends on the context and purpose of your research or inquiry. Both types of sources have their strengths and weaknesses. Here’s a breakdown:

For a Comprehensive Understanding

Using a combination of both primary and secondary sources is ideal. Secondary sources can provide context, while primary sources offer a direct window into events or experiences.

For Academic or Historical Research

Primary sources are often valued because they provide direct evidence and can help researchers verify facts or understand first-hand accounts. However, secondary sources are crucial for understanding the broader context, historical interpretations, and trends.

For Quick Learning or an Overview

If you are just trying to grasp a topic or need a summary, secondary sources are often more accessible and straightforward due to the ceiling effect , which means reaching a limit in the amount of new information a source can provide.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is a primary source vs a secondary.

A primary source is direct or first-hand evidence about an event, person, object, or work of art, often created during the event. A secondary source interprets, analyses, or summarises information from primary sources, offering a second-hand account or perspective on the original data.

Is an interview a primary vs secondary source?

An interview is a primary source because it provides first-hand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic under investigation. It captures the interviewee’s direct experiences, views, or knowledge without being filtered, interpreted, or summarised by others, offering an original perspective on the discussed subject.

What is considered primary source vs secondary source in citations?

In citations, a primary source refers to direct or first-hand evidence, like original documents, artworks, or interviews. A secondary source, on the other hand, analyses, interprets or summarises primary sources, such as books that critique literature or articles that review original research. Secondary sources provide context or interpretation to primary data.

How to cite a primary source?

To cite a primary source, follow the citation style guide you’re using (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago). Generally, include the author’s name, title of the source, publication or creation date, and any relevant details (e.g., publisher, location, page numbers). Different source types (letters, interviews, documents) might require specific citation elements.

Is a textbook a secondary source?

Yes, a textbook is typically considered a secondary source. It synthesises, interprets, and summarises information from primary and secondary sources, presenting an overview or comprehensive topic explanation. Textbooks provide context, commentary, and analysis rather than direct, first-hand evidence of events or original research.

You May Also Like

From academic research to personal blogs, the bedrock of trust and credibility is often established by one simple act: source citing. Whether we are constructing a thesis for a graduate program or debunking a myth on a personal blog, providing the origins of our information bolsters our arguments and pays homage to the original creators of that knowledge.

In our vast world of information, conveying ideas in our own words is crucial. This brings us to the practice of “paraphrasing.” 

A credible source can be trusted to provide accurate, reliable, and unbiased information. Credible sources are essential for various purposes, including academic research, journalism, decision-making, and gaining knowledge on various topics.

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Primary Sources: A Research Guide

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Primary Sources

Texts of laws and other original documents.

Newspaper reports, by reporters who witnessed an event or who quote people who did.

Speeches, diaries, letters and interviews - what the people involved said or wrote.

Original research.

Datasets, survey data, such as census or economic statistics.

Photographs, video, or audio that capture an event.

Secondary Sources

Secondary Sources are one step removed from primary sources, though they often quote or otherwise use primary sources. They can cover the same topic, but add a layer of interpretation and analysis. Secondary sources can include:

Most books about a topic.

Analysis or interpretation of data.

Scholarly or other articles about a topic, especially by people not directly involved.

Documentaries (though they often include photos or video portions that can be considered primary sources).

When is a Primary Source a Secondary Source?

Whether something is a primary or secondary source often depends upon the topic and its use.

A biology textbook would be considered a secondary source if in the field of biology, since it describes and interprets the science but makes no original contribution to it.

On the other hand, if the topic is science education and the history of textbooks, textbooks could be used a primary sources to look at how they have changed over time.

Examples of Primary and Secondary Sources

Adapted from Bowling Green State University, Library User Education, Primary vs. Secondary Sources .

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Reference management. Clean and simple.

Primary and secondary sources: what are they and why do I need them?

What are the main differences between primary and secondary sources?

Why do i need to use both primary and secondary sources in my research, examples of primary and secondary sources, frequently asked questions about primary and secondary sources, related articles.

Primary and secondary sources are the two main types of source materials that you will use for your research project. They are both important and needed for your project. Whether you are going to use more primary or more secondary sources depends on your academic level - undergrad, postgrad, or professional.

Both types of sources have importance and merits of their own, but they are also immensely different. This guide will help you understand the differences. If you want to learn even more about both source types separately, where and how you can access them, and when and how to use them, check out the links below:

➡️  What is a primary source?

➡️  What is a secondary source?

The main difference between primary and secondary sources is that primary sources are contemporary.

Primary sources are original and originated from the event they refer to. They are not reviews, analyses, or critiques of events that occurred in the past. They are first-hand information.

Secondary sources are summaries, critiques, opinions, and analyses. They are written by people who did not witness, or have any direct part to play in the event they are describing. The information they contain is based on primary sources and is the author’s interpretation of the event/subject they are covering.

Using both types of sources adds to the merit of your research. By including references to secondary sources , you are showing that you have truly engaged with your research topic. You are providing extra information and displaying a well-rounded approach to your topic. You are not relying solely on the work of one person, or one institution, for your analysis to be based upon. You are reading broadly and contextually.

Likewise, including primary source references in your research shows that you are also going back to the roots. You are looking at the event or object as it happened, without being able to teleport through time and space. A primary source is vital because it will enable you to make your own judgement on an event or object. Secondary sources are always biased, in one sense or another, so engaging with the primary source yourself allows you to view the topic objectively.

Primary and secondary sources complement each other - looking at both can give you a deeper understanding of each. A primary source can help you to evaluate a secondary source - you will notice aspects of it which the author dismisses, or washes over in their discussion. Likewise, a secondary source can tell you about current trends in research and analysis, while providing you with a broad overview or summary of an extended period of time, or the works of an artist.

We have put together a list of examples of primary and secondary sources by fields of study. It will help you identify the nature of your source.

Primary sources are original and originated from the event they refer to. They are not reviews, analyses, or critiques of events that occurred in the past. They are first-hand information. For a more detailed description of what a primary source is, where you can access them, and why you need to use them, see this article about primary sources .

Secondary sources are summaries, critiques, opinions, and analyses. They are written by people who did not witness, or have any direct part to play in the event they are describing. The information they contain is based on primary sources, and is the author’s interpretation of the event/subject they are covering. See this article about secondary sources for further information.

Some examples of primary sources are: Poems, diaries, letters, paintings, government records, maps, interviews (transcribed or recorded), photographs, newspaper articles, results of experiments, case studies, results of clinical trials, minutes of meetings, and proceedings of conferences

Some examples of secondary sources are: Biographies, histories, reviews, encyclopaedias, literary criticism, discussions of importance, analysis of clinical trials, and reviews of results.

The one main difference between primary and secondary sources is that primary sources are contemporary and secondary sources are not.

Research 101: Library Research Basics

• Helpful handouts
• Picking a topic
• Background research
• Finding articles, books, and more
• Using Google and evaluating sources
• Scholarly vs. popular sources

What is a Primary Source?

What is a secondary source, what is a tertiary source, open web sources with primary sources.

Library Databases with Primary Sources

Primary Sources in the Library

• Finding statistics
• Chicago Style
• Annotated Bibliographies
• Literature Reviews
• Zotero (Citation Management)

What is a primary source?

• A primary source is a first hand testimony, document, speech or other evidence that gives insight into a particular person or an event.
• They are often created during the time period which is being studied but can also be produced later by eyewitnesses or participants.
• Primary sources are available in their original format in libraries, museums, archives, and are also reproduced online in library databases, books, and on university, government, and museum websites.

Examples include :

• Original documents like: Autobiographies, memoirs, oral histories, diaries, interviews, correspondence, minutes, film footage, official records, photographs, raw research data, speeches, newspapers, government documents, email.
• Creative original works like:  Art (paintings, drawings, sculptures, etc.), drama (plays, scripts, etc.), films, music, novels, poetry.
• Relics or artifacts like:  Buildings, clothing, DNA, furniture, jewelry, pottery.

What is a secondary source?

• Secondary sources interpret historical events by examining primary sources and usually other secondary sources, such as books and journal articles. 

Examples include:

• Non-fiction books
• Magazine articles
• Scholarly articles that interpret original data (the raw data would be a primary source)
• Blog or website posts describing or interpreting an event or person
• Read this alumnae/i post about women's fashion at Vassar College. The article is a secondary source, while the photograph below is a primary source.

Image Source

What is a tertiary source?

• Tertiary sources are "meta" sources that compile information on a given topic.
• Bibliographies, literature reviews, meta-analyses, indices, anthologies, lists, etc.
• The annotated bibliography you compile when researching a topic for a paper is considered a "tertiary" source.
• A Buzzfeed "listicle" (or article that compiles a list linking to other sources) would also be considered a tertiary source.
• In the social sciences, a literature review would also be considered a tertiary source.

Free Digital Collections with Primary Sources

• California Digital Newspaper Collection The California Digital Newspaper Collection contains over 1,500,000 pages of significant historical California newspapers published from 1846-present.
• Calisphere Historical image, text, and sound collections available online from libraries, museums, and archives across California.
• Digital Public Library of America Many libraries and museums house primary sources. This website will search digital repositories of open-access content!
• HathiTrust Digital Library HathiTrust is a partnership of academic & research institutions, offering a collection of millions of titles digitized from libraries around the world.
• Internet Archive A non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more
• Library of Congress Digital Collections The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with millions of books, films and video, audio recordings, photographs, newspapers, maps and manuscripts in its collections.
• Online Archive of California (OAC) Free public access to detailed descriptions of primary resource collections maintained by more than 200 contributing institutions including libraries, special collections, archives, historical societies, and museums throughout California and collections maintained by the 10 University of California (UC) campuses.
• Primary Source Sets (DPLA) Primary source collections exploring topics in history, literature, and culture developed by educators — complete with teaching guides for class use.
• Project Gutenberg Nearly 48,000 digitized books as of 2015. All in the public domain (in general, published before 1923). Available in epub, kindle, PDF or to be read online. Over 50 languages. Great source for classics and historical works.
• USC Libraries Digital Collections The USC Digital Library (USCDL) supports the discovery, creation, and preservation of knowledge and develop collections with a particular emphasis on materials related to Los Angeles and the Southern California Region, the Western United States and the Pacific Rim.

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Evaluating Information

Introduction.

• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources

Further Reading

Learning objectives.

• Exploring and Evaluating Popular, Trade, and Scholarly Sources
• How to Read a Scholarly Article

This guide is designed to help you:

• Identify the difference between a primary and a secondary source
• Discuss the roles that each type play in academic research

Primary sources are evidence that was created at a time under study. They include printed, manuscript/archival, audio/visual, and born-digital materials. When analyzing a primary source, it’s important to consider who the intended audience might have been. For example, a letter could have been sent to an individual reader; a newspaper article would have been intended for a broader audience. 

• Use primary sources to inform your research about a particular time, place, or individual.
• Primary sources can be found online through research databases, websites like Twitter, and digitized special collections, including many items from the Brown University Library's Special Collections. Search the Brown Digital Repository for digitized special collections material . 
• Upon request, the Library can scan some primary source material that is not already digitized.

Note for research in the sciences: Primary sources in the sciences are forms of documentation of original research. This could be a conference paper, presentation, journal article, lab notebook, dissertation, or patent.

Ask yourself: How could this image be used as evidence to support my research?

Citation:  Boitard, Louis-Philippe, "Hannah Snell the female soldier" (1750). Prints, Drawings and Watercolors from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection. Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library. https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:227249/

Secondary sources are scholarly or other analyses of a primary source, created by a person not directly involved with the time period or event being studied.

• Use secondary sources to recreate, analyze, critique, and/or report on a particular topic based on review of a single or a collection of primary sources.
• Secondary sources available online include ebooks and journals. Learn more in the Finding Information tutorial. 
• If a secondary source is unavailable electronically through the Library, you can suggest a purchase.  Once the suggestions is received, we will try to find an electronic copy of the material.

Note  for  research  in the sciences: Secondary  sources in the sciences are publications that comment or analyze original research. This could be a handbook, monograph, public opinion, encyclopedia, or government or public policy.

Based on the research we were doing in the first example, let's look for research that others have done about cross-dressing in history, especially around the time that the etching above was created.

You can  search the Library's catalog (BruKnow) with the keywords   cross dressing 18th century 

Within the results, you see a book titled In the Company of Men: Cross-dressed Women around 1800 .

Krimmer, E. (2004). In the company of men : cross-dressed women around 1800. Detroit, Mich.: Wayne State University Press.

If you click to get more information on the book, you will find useful information to provide context and background for the etching, housed in the Library's Special Collections. 

• Vos, J. and Guzman, Y. (2019). "Understanding my home: the potential for affective impact and cultural competence in primary source literacy," Journal of Western Archives, 10 (1), article 6. Available at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/westernarchives/vol10/iss1/6
• Primary and secondary source quiz form the Ithaca College Library: h ttps://library.ithaca.edu/ r101/primary/

This guide was designed to help you:

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Methodology

• What is Secondary Research? | Definition, Types, & Examples

What is Secondary Research? | Definition, Types, & Examples

Published on January 20, 2023 by Tegan George . Revised on January 12, 2024.

Secondary research is a research method that uses data that was collected by someone else. In other words, whenever you conduct research using data that already exists, you are conducting secondary research. On the other hand, any type of research that you undertake yourself is called primary research .

Secondary research can be qualitative or quantitative in nature. It often uses data gathered from published peer-reviewed papers, meta-analyses, or government or private sector databases and datasets.

Table of contents

When to use secondary research, types of secondary research, examples of secondary research, advantages and disadvantages of secondary research, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions.

Secondary research is a very common research method, used in lieu of collecting your own primary data. It is often used in research designs or as a way to start your research process if you plan to conduct primary research later on.

Since it is often inexpensive or free to access, secondary research is a low-stakes way to determine if further primary research is needed, as gaps in secondary research are a strong indication that primary research is necessary. For this reason, while secondary research can theoretically be exploratory or explanatory in nature, it is usually explanatory: aiming to explain the causes and consequences of a well-defined problem.

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Secondary research can take many forms, but the most common types are:

Statistical analysis

Literature reviews, case studies, content analysis.

There is ample data available online from a variety of sources, often in the form of datasets. These datasets are often open-source or downloadable at a low cost, and are ideal for conducting statistical analyses such as hypothesis testing or regression analysis .

Credible sources for existing data include:

• The government
• Government agencies
• Non-governmental organizations
• Educational institutions
• Businesses or consultancies
• Libraries or archives
• Newspapers, academic journals, or magazines

A literature review is a survey of preexisting scholarly sources on your topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant themes, debates, and gaps in the research you analyze. You can later apply these to your own work, or use them as a jumping-off point to conduct primary research of your own.

Structured much like a regular academic paper (with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion), a literature review is a great way to evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of the scholarly debates around your topic.

A case study is a detailed study of a specific subject. It is usually qualitative in nature and can focus on  a person, group, place, event, organization, or phenomenon. A case study is a great way to utilize existing research to gain concrete, contextual, and in-depth knowledge about your real-world subject.

You can choose to focus on just one complex case, exploring a single subject in great detail, or examine multiple cases if you’d prefer to compare different aspects of your topic. Preexisting interviews , observational studies , or other sources of primary data make for great case studies.

Content analysis is a research method that studies patterns in recorded communication by utilizing existing texts. It can be either quantitative or qualitative in nature, depending on whether you choose to analyze countable or measurable patterns, or more interpretive ones. Content analysis is popular in communication studies, but it is also widely used in historical analysis, anthropology, and psychology to make more semantic qualitative inferences.

Secondary research is a broad research approach that can be pursued any way you’d like. Here are a few examples of different ways you can use secondary research to explore your research topic .

Secondary research is a very common research approach, but has distinct advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of secondary research

Advantages include:

• Secondary data is very easy to source and readily available .
• It is also often free or accessible through your educational institution’s library or network, making it much cheaper to conduct than primary research .
• As you are relying on research that already exists, conducting secondary research is much less time consuming than primary research. Since your timeline is so much shorter, your research can be ready to publish sooner.
• Using data from others allows you to show reproducibility and replicability , bolstering prior research and situating your own work within your field.

Disadvantages of secondary research

Disadvantages include:

• Ease of access does not signify credibility . It’s important to be aware that secondary research is not always reliable , and can often be out of date. It’s critical to analyze any data you’re thinking of using prior to getting started, using a method like the CRAAP test .
• Secondary research often relies on primary research already conducted. If this original research is biased in any way, those research biases could creep into the secondary results.

Many researchers using the same secondary research to form similar conclusions can also take away from the uniqueness and reliability of your research. Many datasets become “kitchen-sink” models, where too many variables are added in an attempt to draw increasingly niche conclusions from overused data . Data cleansing may be necessary to test the quality of the research.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Normal distribution
• Degrees of freedom
• Null hypothesis
• Discourse analysis
• Control groups
• Mixed methods research
• Non-probability sampling
• Quantitative research
• Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Research bias

• Rosenthal effect
• Implicit bias
• Cognitive bias
• Selection bias
• Negativity bias
• Status quo bias

A systematic review is secondary research because it uses existing research. You don’t collect new data yourself.

The research methods you use depend on the type of data you need to answer your research question .

• If you want to measure something or test a hypothesis , use quantitative methods . If you want to explore ideas, thoughts and meanings, use qualitative methods .
• If you want to analyze a large amount of readily-available data, use secondary data. If you want data specific to your purposes with control over how it is generated, collect primary data.
• If you want to establish cause-and-effect relationships between variables , use experimental methods. If you want to understand the characteristics of a research subject, use descriptive methods.

Quantitative research deals with numbers and statistics, while qualitative research deals with words and meanings.

Quantitative methods allow you to systematically measure variables and test hypotheses . Qualitative methods allow you to explore concepts and experiences in more detail.

Sources in this article

We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.

George, T. (2024, January 12). What is Secondary Research? | Definition, Types, & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 3, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/secondary-research/

Largan, C., & Morris, T. M. (2019). Qualitative Secondary Research: A Step-By-Step Guide (1st ed.). SAGE Publications Ltd.

Peloquin, D., DiMaio, M., Bierer, B., & Barnes, M. (2020). Disruptive and avoidable: GDPR challenges to secondary research uses of data. European Journal of Human Genetics , 28 (6), 697–705. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41431-020-0596-x

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Performing Academic Research: Primary and secondary sources

• The research process
• Creating a research plan
• Primary and secondary sources
• Academic vs. non-academic information
• Evaluating information: The PAARC test

Identifying Primary and Secondary Sources

What is a primary source.

Primary sources are firsthand accounts of events, ideas, or statements. They are usually created at the time of an event or very soon after.

Primary sources can come in many different forms, including diaries, letters, photographs, art, maps, video and film, sound recordings, interviews, newspapers, magazines, novels, poems, short stories, autobiographies, or memoirs. The exact form of a primary source is not important. It is the content and context of the material that makes it a primary source.  For example, a novel written in 2012 about the Peloponnesian War isn’t a primary source for information about the Peloponnesian War (unless the author is somehow over two thousand years old). However, the same novel is a primary source for information about the author’s ideas, philosophy, and writing style.

When trying to identify a Primary Source, ask yourself:

• Was it created at the time of an event, or very soon after?
• Was it created by someone who saw or heard an event themselves?
• Is it a personal record of an event?

If you answer to any of the above is “yes,” then it is likely that you are looking at a Primary Source.

What is a Secondary Source?

Secondary sources report, describe, comment on, or analyze the experiences or work of others.

A secondary source is at least once removed from the primary source. It reports on the original work, the direct observation, or the firsthand experience. It will often use primary sources as examples.

Secondary sources can include books, textbooks, newspapers, biographies, journal articles, movies and magazines. As with primary sources, the format is less important than the information being presented. If the source seeks to report, describe, comment on or analyze an original work, direct observation, or firsthand experience of another person, it is a secondary source.

Eamon, Michael. “Defining Primary and Secondary Sources.” Library and Archives Canada , Library and Archives Canada,

27 May 2010, https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/education/008-3010-e.html.

Payton, Melissa. The Prentice Hall Guide to Evaluating Online Resources with Research Navigator 2004 . Pearson Education Inc., 2004.

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University Library

Distinguish between primary and secondary sources.

• Further Information

Introduction

1. Introduction

Whether conducting research in the social sciences, humanities (especially history), arts, or natural sciences, the ability to distinguish between primary and secondary source material is essential. Basically, this distinction illustrates the degree to which the author of a piece is removed from the actual event being described, informing the reader as to whether the author is reporting impressions first hand (or is first to record these immediately following an event), or conveying the experiences and opinions of others—that is, second hand .  

2. Primary sources

These are contemporary accounts of an event, written by someone who experienced or witnessed the event in question. These original documents (i.e., they are not about another document or account) are often diaries, letters, memoirs, journals, speeches, manuscripts, interviews and other such unpublished works. They may also include published pieces such as newspaper or magazine articles (as long as they are written soon after the fact and not as historical accounts), photographs, audio or video recordings, research reports in the natural or social sciences, or original literary or theatrical works.  

3. Secondary sources

The function of these is to interpret primary sources , and so can be described as at least one step removed from the event or phenomenon under review. Secondary source materials, then, interpret, assign value to, conjecture upon, and draw conclusions about the events reported in primary sources. These are usually in the form of published works such as journal articles or books, but may include radio or television documentaries, or conference proceedings.  

4. Defining questions

When evaluating primary or secondary sources, the following questions might be asked to help ascertain the nature and value of material being considered:

• How does the author know these details (names, dates, times)? Was the author present at the event or soon on the scene?
• Where does this information come from—personal experience, eyewitness accounts, or reports written by others?
• Are the author's conclusions based on a single piece of evidence, or have many sources been taken into account (e.g., diary entries, along with third-party eyewitness accounts, impressions of contemporaries, newspaper accounts)?

Ultimately, all source materials of whatever type must be assessed critically and even the most scrupulous and thorough work is viewed through the eyes of the writer/interpreter. This must be taken into account when one is attempting to arrive at the 'truth' of an event.

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The land on which we gather is the unceded territory of the Awaswas-speaking Uypi Tribe. The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, comprised of the descendants of indigenous people taken to missions Santa Cruz and San Juan Bautista during Spanish colonization of the Central Coast, is today working hard to restore traditional stewardship practices on these lands and heal from historical trauma.

The land acknowledgement used at UC Santa Cruz was developed in partnership with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band Chairman and the Amah Mutsun Relearning Program at the UCSC Arboretum .

Primary vs. Secondary Sources: Primary vs. Secondary Sources

Primary vs. secondary sources, primary sources.

Primary sources are materials that are eyewitness accounts or as close to the original source as possible.

Qualitative data:

• What people say. They are usually Speeches , Interviews and Conversations, and they may be captured in Videos, Audio Recordings, or transcribed into text.
• What people write.  These include Autobiographies, Memoirs, Personal Journals and Diaries, Letters, Emails, Blogs, Twitter Feeds and other forms of Social Media.
• Images and Videos.
• Government Documents-- U.S . and rest of the world.
• Laws, Court Cases and Decisions, Treaties.
• Newspapers.

Quantitative data:

• Statistics and Data .
• Polls and Public Opinions .

Please note that a book is simply a format.  You can find both primary and secondary sources published in book form.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources are interpretations and analyses based on primary sources.

For example, an autobiography is a primary source while a biography is a secondary source.

Typical secondary sources include:

• Scholarly Journal Articles.  Use these and books exclusively for writing Literature Reviews.
• Encyclopedias.
• Dictionaries.
• Documentaries.

Please note that a book is simply a format.  You can find primary and secondary sources published in book form.

When Secondary Sources Become Primary Sources

Often secondary and primary sources are relative concepts.  Typical secondary sources may be primary sources depending on the research topic.

• Intellectual history topics. For example, although scholarly journal articles are usually considered secondary sources, if one's topic is the history of human rights, then journal articles on human rights will be primary sources in this instance.  Similarly, research on the thinking of a scholar will include her published journal articles as primary sources.  
• Historical topics. Magazine articles are secondary sources, but for someone researching the view of judicial punishment in the 1920s, magazines from that time period are primary sources.  Indeed, any older publication, such as those prior to the 20th century, is very often automatically considered a primary source.  
• Newspapers may be either primary or secondary. Most articles in newspapers are secondary, but reporters may be considered as witnesses to an event.  Any topic on the media coverage of an event or phenomenon would treat newspapers as a primary source.  There are so many articles and types of articles in newspapers that newspapers can often be considered either primary or secondary.
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Evidence Based Practice

• 1. Ask: PICO(T) Question
• 2. Align: Levels of Evidence
• 3a. Acquire: Resource Types
• 3b. Acquire: Searching
• 4. Appraise

Primary vs. Secondary Sources

• Qualitative and Quantitative Sources
• Managing References

Sources are considered primary, secondary, or tertiary depending on the originality of the information presented and their proximity or how close they are to the source of information. This distinction can differ between subjects and disciplines.

In the sciences, research findings may be communicated informally between researchers through email, presented at conferences (primary source), and then, possibly, published as a journal article or technical report (primary source). Once published, the information may be commented on by other researchers (secondary sources), and/or professionally indexed in a database (secondary sources). Later the information may be summarized into an encyclopedic or reference book format (tertiary sources). Source

Primary Sources

A primary source in science is a document or record that reports on a study, experiment, trial or research project. Primary sources are usually written by the person(s) who did the research, conducted the study, or ran the experiment, and include hypothesis, methodology, and results.

Primary Sources include:

• Pilot/prospective studies
• Cohort studies
• Survey research
• Case studies
• Lab notebooks
• Clinical trials and randomized clinical trials/RCTs
• Dissertations

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources list, summarize, compare, and evaluate primary information and studies so as to draw conclusions on or present current state of knowledge in a discipline or subject. Sources may include a bibliography which may direct you back to the primary research reported in the article.

Secondary Sources include:

• reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analysis
• newsletters and professional news sources
• practice guidelines & standards
• clinical care notes
• patient education Information
• government & legal Information
• entries in nursing or medical encyclopedias Source

More on Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis

Systematic reviews – Systematic reviews are best for answering single questions (eg, the effectiveness of tight glucose control on microvascular complications of diabetes). They are more scientifically structured than traditional reviews, being explicit about how the authors attempted to find all relevant articles, judge the scientific quality of each study, and weigh evidence from multiple studies with conflicting results. These reviews pay particular attention to including all strong research, whether or not it has been published, to avoid publication bias (positive studies are preferentially published). Source

Meta-analysis -- Meta-analysis, which is commonly included in systematic reviews, is a statistical method that quantitatively combines the results from different studies. It can be used to provide an overall estimate of the net benefit or harm of an intervention, even when these effects may not have been apparent in the individual studies [ 9 ]. Meta-analysis can also provide an overall quantitative estimate of other parameters such as diagnostic accuracy, incidence, or prevalence. Source

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What is the Difference Between a Primary and Secondary Source?

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Gathering research requires putting together evidence and information from a variety of sources. Citing sources shows readers how a writer has researched and formed conclusions. Sources provide historical context and allow scholars to extend credit to other researchers’ and ideas. 

In academic research, whether it’s in the social sciences, humanities, or natural sciences, it’s important to distinguish between the types of sources used. From creating a convincing argument that informs the reader that an author is reporting firsthand impressions, to relaying the experiences and opinions of others, both primary and secondary sources are essential to creating novel, interesting, and effective academic research and writing. 

When writers use primary sources, they are using raw information and firsthand evidence such as interview transcripts, memoirs, statistical data, and works of art. Secondary sources , on the other hand, constitute secondhand information and commentary made by other researchers. Secondary sources include journal articles, reviews, and academic books. 

What is a Primary Source?

A primary source is an original material created at the time a historical event occurs, or soon afterward, and can be original documents, creative works, material published in modern times, institutional and government documents, or relics and artifacts. Authors citing primary sources relay the subjective interpretation of a witness to an event, which allows historians to use the materials to interpret and analyze the past. 

Diaries, letters, memoirs, personal journals, speeches, manuscripts, direct interviews, and other unpublished works can be primary sources and typically serve as the main objects of an analysis or research work. Published pieces, including newspaper or magazine articles, photographs, audio or video recordings, research reports in the natural or social sciences, or original literary or theatrical works are all considered primary sources.  

An example of how a primary source is used includes the collection of research associated with the spread of a particular disease and the use of source material  that may include medical statistical data, interviews with medical experts and patients, and laboratory results. In cases of research related to historical events, an author may not be able to access direct evidence because the people associated with the event may no longer be alive, but sources produced by witnesses at that time may be used. This includes photographs, video footage, letters, diary entries, and newspaper reports at the time of the event. 

What is a Secondary Source?

Secondary sources are created by someone who did not experience firsthand or participate in the events or conditions being researched. Secondary sources are used to interpret and analyze primary sources. These sources are one or more steps removed from the event and may contain pictures, quotes, or graphics of primary sources. They are used to interpret, assign value to, conjecture upon, and draw conclusions about the events reported in primary sources. Textbooks, edited works, books, and articles that interpret or review research works, histories, biographies, literary criticism and interpretation, reviews of law and legislation, political analyses, and commentaries are all examples of secondary sources. 

Authors of research studies cite secondary sources to support arguments, formulate new theories, or argue against existing information in the field. Using secondary sources, researchers reinforce theories or arguments based on primary sources.  

Differences Between a Primary and Secondary Source

Primary and secondary sources are the two types of materials used for research, and while both are important to creating well-developed projects, they are vastly different. Primary sources offer raw information, or the first-hand evidence compiled by research, whereas secondary sources interpret or analyze the information from primary sources. 

The most significant difference between two different types of sources is that primary sources gives direct access to the subject of the research, while secondary sources provide second-hand information and commentary from other researchers.  

Secondary sources offer summaries, critiques, opinions, and analyses, and are written by people who did not witness or have a direct part in the event or events they are describing. Based on the accounts of primary sources, this type of source is the author’s interpretation of the event or subject matter they are writing about. 

Information

The information gathered using primary sources offers direct, first-hand information, while secondary sources relay other peoples’ interpretation of the event. Information based on primary source material gives readers direct access to the subject of the research, while secondary sources provide commentary from other researchers.  

Objectivity

On occasion, primary sources can be both subjective and personal because an individual’s firsthand account is based on the views and opinions formed from the experience. 

Secondary sources are typically objective and gives the reader the opportunity to evaluate a source by purpose and objectivity by asking questions such as if the information provided is biased, or whether the purpose of the research is to inform, teach, sell, entertain, provide public services, or persuade.  

As a firsthand or contemporary account of an event or topic, a primary source has not been modified by interpretation and offers an original thought or new information. Primary sources function as the main object of analysis in a research study, whereas secondary resources are used to describe, interpret, generalize, or synthesize primary sources. Secondary sources help readers understand second-hand information and commentary and can detail how and why a historical event occurred. 

Primary or Secondary Source?

Determining if a document or research project uses primary or secondary sources isn’t always easily discernible based on the publication it’s found in. Newspaper and magazine articles are usually considered secondary sources. However, if a story in a newspaper describes a war through an eyewitness account, then it would be a primary source. 

To use sources efficiently and in the correct manner, it’s important to identify the background of each source and the reason for including it in an author’s work. This helps researchers distinguish between their contribution and the argument expressed by the sources used. Helpful questions a writer may ask when citing primary or secondary sources include:  

• How does the author know these details (names, dates, times)? 
• Was the author present at the event or soon on the scene?  
• Where does this information come from—personal experience, eyewitness accounts, or reports written by others? 
• Are the author's conclusions based on a single piece of evidence, or have many sources been taken into account (e.g., diary entries, third-party eyewitness accounts, impressions of contemporaries, and newspaper accounts)?  

All source materials used should be assessed critically, as even the most ethical and thorough work is viewed through the eyes of the writer or interpreter.

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Research Process :: Step by Step

• Introduction
• Select Topic
• Identify Keywords
• Background Information
• Develop Research Questions
• Refine Topic
• Search Strategy
• Popular Databases
• Evaluate Sources
• Types of Periodicals
• Reading Scholarly Articles
• Primary & Secondary Sources
• Organize / Take Notes
• Writing & Grammar Resources
• Annotated Bibliography
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• Privacy / Confidentiality

PEN America Digital Archive

• PEN America Digital Archive The PEN America Digital Archive captures more than 50 years of cultural programming at the intersection of literature and freedom of expression advocacy. With generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the digital archive makes available long-inaccessible but valuable public and private programming featuring the world’s foremost writers, intellectuals, and artists in candid and often heated discourse about the most relevant cultural and political issues of our times.

US History -- Primary Sources

• Primary Sources for US History This guide provides links to important, substantial, and freely available collections of primary sources dealing with American history. Each source has been chosen, evaluated, and annotated by librarians.
• Primary Sources for Historical Research This guide explains how to identify primary sources and provides an overview of the different kinds of primary sources.

When evaluating the quality of the information you are using, it is useful to identify if you are using a primary, secondary, or tertiary source . By doing so, you recognize if the author is reporting on his/her own first-hand experiences or relying on the views of others.

Primary Sources : : Defined

Primary sources provide firsthand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic or question under investigation.  They are usually created by witnesses or recorders who experienced the events or conditions being documented. Often these sources are created at the time when the events or conditions are occurring.

"Primary sources . . . are defined as the direct evidence of a time and place that you are studying – any material (documents, objects, etc.) that was produced by eyewitnesses to or participants in an event or historical moment under investigation. Secondary sources, in contrast, are interpretations – often generated by scholars – that are based upon the examination of multiple primary sources."  (from  Primary Source.org )

Types of Primary Sources

What types of primary sources might have been produced that would be relevant to your topic?

Which persons or organizations might have produced materials?

Possible formats include:

• Photographs, images
• Magazines, newspapers
• Advertisements
• Movies, videos, DVDs
• Memoirs, d iaries, journals
• Audio recordings
• Interviews , l etters , s peeches
• Research data, statistics
• Documents produced by organizations
• Documents produced by government agencies

Find Primary Sources

• Special Collections
• Digital Collections

On the 6th floor of Central Library,  Special Collections  specializes in  (PRINT)  historical materials relating to

• the U.S. War with Mexico (1846-1848)
• the cartographic (maps) history of Texas and the Gulf of Mexico
• Mexico from 1810-1920.

Texas Archival Resources Online (TARO)

(TARO) contains Special Collections' detailed guides. (SEARCH FOR: University of Texas at Arlington Library, Special Collections in drop down menu)

• Archives & Locating Archives Collections Guide on archival field and using archives in the UTA Libraries Special Collections.
• Sabin Americana, 1500-1926 This link opens in a new window This digital collection contains primary works about the Americas published throughout the world from 1500 to the early 1900's. more... less... Sabin Americana, 1500-1926 offers full-text access to more than 29,000 titles about the Americas including accounts of exploration, trade, colonialism, Native Americans, etc. Primary sources include books, pamphlets, serials, broadsides, and other historical documentation that describe the society, politics, religious beliefs, customs, and momentous events that characterized life in the Americas.
• Oral History Online This link opens in a new window Oral History Online is a database of English language oral histories. more... less... Oral History Online contains more than 34,000 pages of full-text content including Ellis Island oral history narratives and rare Black Panther Party interviews. It is also an index to free oral history information on the Web. Indexed oral histories represent information from archives, repositories, and individuals around the world.
• Early Encounters in North America: Peoples, Cultures and the Environment This link opens in a new window This full-text work in progress documents the relationships among peoples in North America from 1534 to 1850 more... less... This full-text work in progress documents the relationships among peoples in North America from 1534 to 1850. It focuses on personal accounts of traders, slaves, missionaries, explorers, soldiers, native peoples, and officials. Source materials include narratives, diaries, journals, and letters.
• Sixties: Primary Documents and Personal Narratives, 1960-1974 This link opens in a new window For scholars and students researching this important period in American history, culture, and politics. more... less... The Sixties: Primary Documents and Personal Narratives 1960-1974 contains diaries, letters, autobiographies and other memoirs, written and oral histories, manifestos, government documents, memorabilia, and scholarly commentary. Spanning 1960 to 1974, The Sixties is centered on key themes that provide insight into the issues that shaped America and that still resonate in today's debates: Arts, Music, and Leisure; Civil Rights; Counter-Culture; Environmental Movement; Gay and Lesbian Rights; Law and Government; Mass Media; New Left and Emerging Neo-Conservative Movement; Science and Technology; Student Activism; Vietnam War; and Women's Movement.
• Gerritsen Collection - Women's History Online 1543-1945 This link opens in a new window A collection of books, pamphlets and periodicals reflecting the evolution of a feminist consciousness and the movement for women's rights more... less... A collection of books, pamphlets and periodicals reflecting the evolution of a feminist consciousness and the movement for women's rights. The collection consists of 265 periodicals and 4471 monographs from continental Europe, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand. The ASCII text is searchable by keyword and Boolean operators, and records are linked to the corresponding full-text page images.
• North American Immigrant Letters, Diaries, and Oral Histories This link opens in a new window This collection includes 2,162 authors and approximately 100,000 pages of information, so providing a unique and personal view of what it meant to immigrate to America and Canada between 1800 and 1950. more... less... Composed of contemporaneous letters and diaries, oral histories, interviews, and other personal narratives, the series provides a rich source for scholars in a wide range of disciplines. In selected cases, users will be able to hear the actual audio voices of the immigrants. The collection will be particularly useful to researchers, because much of the original material is difficult to find, poorly indexed, and unpublished; most bibliographies of the immigrant focus on secondary research; and few oral histories have been published. This work in progress is composed of the personal narratives of immigrants to North America, including Canada

The New York Times (1851-2007) Offers full-page and article images with search-able full-text back to the first issue.

Dallas Morning News Historical Archive(1885-1984)  Important resource for Texas History.

Chicago Defender (1956-1973) The Chicago Defender has been a leading voice of the black community, with more than two-thirds of its readership outside Chicago. A full-image is provided for the newspaper.

• ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Wall Street Journal (1889 - 2011) This link opens in a new window A full-image archive that includes the entire historical run of the newspaper from 1889 - 2011. See also The Wall Street Journal archive (1984 - Current) . more... less... ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Wall Street Journal (1889 - 2002): In 1889, Dow Jones & Company first published The Wall Street Journal (formerly known as the Customers' Afternoon Letter) as a markets-focused newspaper for the country's then-fewer than 200,000 shareholders. Today, it focuses not only on the stock market, but on all aspects of global business, economics, consumer affairs, and trends and issues. Online researchers have access to more than 100 years of The Journal's accurate reporting, exclusive analysis, agenda setting, editorials, and controversial opinions. In addition to the printed stories, researchers also can study the charts, stock tables, graphics, and illustrations featured in the publication. With this resource, users can study the development of industries and companies across decades, monitor the implementation and effects of fiscal policies on the global economy, study opposing viewpoints at critical times in the world's history, and more. This title is especially appealing to those interested in business, finance, economics, and journalism.

Cartographic Connections

Here are some of the maps from Special Collections

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Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources in the Health Sciences.

Primary Sources

Primary sources (or primary research) presents the immediate results of original research activities and/or new scientific discoveries..  It often includes hypotheses, experiments, analysis of data collected in the field or laboratory and a conclusion.   Primary sources are original materials/information on which other research is based.

These include:

• Journals or Periodicals : main type of publication in which scientific research is reported. 
• Theses : detailed accounts of research conducted for the awarding of higher academic degrees.  In many cases, it will also be later reported in a condensed form as a journal article.
• Conferences : Papers presented at conferences may or may not be subject to editorial scrutiny. Conference papers may not published at all, published only in abstract form, published in advance of the conference as a preprint, published in book form, or as a special issue of a journal.
• Reports : individual publications reporting research. They may report internal research within an organization, or research done by an individual or organization under contract to a client. They may be freely available, available only to members of an organization, only available by purchase, or published in a journal article. 
• Patents : provides research information on new products or processes. Once published, patent information is freely available, but rarely republished in journal articles.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources are those that discuss the original research of others. Secondary sources list, summarize, compare, analyses, interprets, re-packages, and evaluates primary information and studies so as to draw conclusions on or present current state of knowledge in a discipline or subject. Secondary sources will include a reference list to direct you to the primary research reported in the article.

They include:

• Review Journals  : These generally start with Annual Review of …, Advances in …, Current Opinion in …
•   Article Reviews  : Articles that summarize the current literature on a specific topic.
•   Textbooks  : These can be either specialized to a narrow topic or a more boarder overview.
•   Data Compilations  :  Statistical databases (SEERS), Vital & Health Statistics, etc.
• Article Indexes/Databases : These can be abstracting or citation (e.g. Biological Abstracts/MEDLINE).

They also include:

• Reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analysis
• Newsletters and professional news sources
• Practice guidelines & standards
• Clinical care notes
• Patient education Information
• Government & legal Information

Tertiary Sources

Tertiary sources consist of primary and secondary source information which has been collected and distilled. They present summaries of or an introduction to the current state of research on a topic, summarize or condense information from primary and secondary sources, or provide a list of primary and secondary sources. These include:

• Encyclopedias

Tutorial: Identifying Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Sources in the Sciences (CSB/SJU Libraries): (2021 September 3): 3:46 min.

Primary and Secondary Literature in the Sciences: An Introduction (Egan Library): (2021 February 4): 4:04 min.

Primary vs. Secondary Sources for Scientific Research

• Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources
• Science Resources
• Analyzing Sources

Primary and Secondary Sources

Primary Sources in the Sciences

What's a primary source in the sciences?

Primary sources in the sciences (and many social sciences), report original research, ideas, or scientific discoveries for the first time. Primary sources in the sciences may also be referred to as primary research, primary articles, or research studies. Examples include research studies, scientific experiments, papers and proceedings from scientific conferences or meetings, dissertations and theses, and technical reports.

The following are some characteristics of scientific primary sources:

• They report results/findings/data from experiments or research studies.
• They do not include meta-analyses, systematic reviews, or literature reviews.  These are secondary sources.
• They are frequently found in peer-reviewed or scholarly journals.
• They should explain the research methodology used and frequently include methods, results, and discussion sections.
• They are factual, not interpretive.

How do I find primary sources in the sciences?

A good place to start your search is in a subject-specific database. Many of these databases include options to narrow your search by source type. Not sure which database to use? Check out our  Database A-Z List  (use the dropdown menu to filter by subject).

Information adapted from Binghamton University Library

When searching for biomedical literature, you will find two types of articles: primary and secondary. Primary sources include articles that describe original research. Secondary sources analyze and interpret primary research.

Primary Literature 

Original source of research or new discoveries.	Original research article published in a peer reviewed journal
Results of scientific activities and raw data	Dissertations  Secondary Literature Summarizes and synthesizes primary literature Literature review or review articles Might be broader or less current than primary literature Books Do not provide new data or research Chapters Adapted from Regis University Library Next: Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources >> Last Updated: Aug 11, 2023 11:49 AM URL: https://clt.library.jwu.edu/c.php?g=1335128 JWU-Charlotte Library: 801 West Trade Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202 980 598-1611 Location and Directions Off-Campus Access Staff Directory Chat with a Librarian Interlibrary Loan (ILL) System Status Study Rooms Research Appointment Culinary Museum × Indigenous People's Weekend: The Libraries will be closed from Saturday - Monday, October 12 - 14 . Sherrill Library and Moriarty Library will reopen on Tuesday, October 15 at 10am. Enjoy the holiday! × sherrill library will be closed from may 18 - september 2 due to construction. services by appointment: research consultations, library instruction, pick up appointments moriarty library will be open through august 31, monday - friday from 10am-6pm. closed weekends and holidays. as always, our web resources are available 24/7. questions our chat and ask us services are available monday-friday, 10am-6pm., × the libraries will be closed for memorial day weekend from friday-monday, may 24-27. enjoy the holiday, × spring break: monday, 03/13/2023 - sunday, 03/19/2023: library pickups are by appointment. need an appointment email us at sherrill library: [email protected] or moriarty library: [email protected], × alert mm/dd/yyyy: something is broken please contact us with questions., × alert 12/14/2023: ebsco allsearch is unavailable. we are working to fix this as quickly as we can. in the meanwhile, please try searching for articles from our proquest central database and for ebooks and books from our flo catalog . we're very sorry for the inconveniance. --> × welcome back our remote services guide has everything you need to know about library services we're offering this semester, including research help, study spaces, and more for other campus plans, see the lesley university covid-19 response. any other questions ask us, × welcome back our remote services guide has everything you need to know about library services we're offering this semester, including research help, study spaces, and more any other questions ask us, finding and using primary resources. Where to Find Primary Resources How to Find Primary Resources Interpreting Primary Resources Advanced Primary Resource Research Tools Front Matter Collection Inventory Understanding Linear Feet Citing Primary Resources Primary sources are those created contemporaneously to whatever period a researcher is studying. In contrast to secondary sources, they don't provide any analysis on a given topic after the fact; instead, they reflect on information or events as they unfolded (for example, a newspaper article, from the time of a particular historical event, discussing the historical event as it happened). Primary sources are especially useful for researchers because they reveal how certain topics and ideas were understood during a specific time and place. The particular primary sources you might use in your research, as well as how you find them, can vary a lot based on your field of study. This guide aims to provide helpful information on where to go about searching for primary sources What is a primary resource . Each academic discipline or field defines and uses primary sources differently. Therefore, the definition of a primary source is contextual and dependent on that specific discipline or field of inquiry. Furthermore, any definition of primary sources also includes distinguishing them from secondary sources. Some disciplines use the term tertiary sources which typically include all three types (primary & secondary). The  humanities  and the arts define primary sources as text, images, artifacts, and architecture (any material) that conveys the experience or life at time they are from.  The  sciences  define primary sources as original research. The  social sciences  define primary sources similar to both the humanities, sciences, and author created data/evidence. They depend on the nature of the inquiry and research methodology.  The  health sciences  define primary sources as original research. Examples of Primary Resources Walden  by Henry David Thoreau published in 2016, is a primary resource as the text was written in 1897, and offers insight into life in rural Massachusetts in the late 19th century.  Rembrandt van Rijn, The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp ,  1632. This painting is a good visual example of medical history in 17th century Holland.  Ledgers of imports and exports, 1731, Held by The National Archives, Kew Gardens. This is a digital scan of an original ledger of imports and exports to London in 1731. This can give us a general idea of what trade looks like in 18th-Century England. Tapestry Room from Croome Court, Various artists/makers,  1763–71, Metropolitan Museum of Art. This was designed in 1763–1771, . Around 1902 the ninth Earl sold the tapestries and seating to a Parisian dealer. The Samuel H. Kress Foundation purchased the ceiling, floor, chimneypiece, chair rails, doors and door surrounds in 1949; they were donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, in 1958. This room provides insight as to what an 18th-century Country house room might look, and help historians understand domestic life.  Next: Where to Find Primary Resources >> Last Updated: Sep 5, 2024 1:50 PM URL: https://research.lesley.edu/c.php?g=1400378 Moriarty Library Porter Campus 1801 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02140 617-349-8070 Sherrill Library South Campus 89 Brattle Street Cambridge, MA 02138 617-349-8850 info This is a space for the teal alert bar. notifications This is a space for the yellow alert bar. Research Process Brainstorming Explore Google This link opens in a new window Explore Web Resources Explore Background Information Explore Books Explore Scholarly Articles Narrowing a Topic Primary and Secondary Resources Academic, Popular & Trade Publications Scholarly and Peer-Reviewed Journals Grey Literature Clinical Trials Evidence Based Treatment Scholarly Research Database Research Log Search Limits Keyword Searching Boolean Operators Phrase Searching Truncation & Wildcard Symbols Proximity Searching Field Codes Subject Terms and Database Thesauri Reading a Scientific Article Website Evaluation Article Keywords and Subject Terms Cited References Citing Articles Related Results Search Within Publication Database Alerts & RSS Feeds Personal Database Accounts Persistent URLs Literature Gap and Future Research Web of Knowledge Annual Reviews Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses Finding Seminal Works Exhausting the Literature Finding Dissertations Researching Theoretical Frameworks Research Methodology & Design Tests and Measurements Organizing Research & Citations This link opens in a new window Picking Where to Publish Bibliometrics Learn the Library This link opens in a new window Primary Sources Primary resources contain first-hand information, meaning that you are reading the author’s own account on a specific topic or event that s/he participated in. Examples of primary resources include scholarly research articles, books, and diaries. Primary sources such as research articles often do not explain terminology and theoretical principles in detail. Thus, readers of primary scholarly research should have foundational knowledge of the subject area. Use primary resources to obtain a first-hand account to an actual event and identify original research done in a field. For many of your papers, use of primary resources will be a requirement. Examples of a primary source are: Original documents such as diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, records, eyewitness accounts, autobiographies Empirical scholarly works such as research articles, clinical reports, case studies, dissertations Creative works such as poetry, music, video, photography How to locate primary research in NU Library: From the Library's homepage, begin your search in NavigatorSearch or select a subject-specific database from the A-Z Databases . Use the Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed Journal limiter to narrow your search to journal articles. Once you have a set of search results, remember to look for articles where the author has conducted original research. A primary research article will include a literature review, methodology, population or set sample, test or measurement, discussion of findings and usually future research directions. Secondary Sources Secondary sources describe, summarize, or discuss information or details originally presented in another source; meaning the author, in most cases, did not participate in the event. This type of source is written for a broad audience and will include definitions of discipline specific terms, history relating to the topic, significant theories and principles, and summaries of major studies/events as related to the topic. Use secondary sources to obtain an overview of a topic and/or identify primary resources. Refrain from including such resources in an annotated bibliography for doctoral level work unless there is a good reason. Examples of a secondary source are: Publications such as textbooks, magazine articles, book reviews, commentaries, encyclopedias, almanacs Locate  secondary resources in NU Library within the following databases: Annual Reviews (scholarly article reviews) Credo Reference (encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks & more) Ebook Central (ebooks) ProQuest (book reviews, bibliographies, literature reviews & more ) SAGE Reference Methods, SAGE Knowledge & SAGE Navigator (handbooks, encyclopedias, major works, debates & more) Most other Library databases include secondary sources.  Beginning the Resarch Process Workshop This workshop introduces to the beginning stages of the research process, focusing on identifying different types of information, as well as gathering background information through electronic books. Beginning the Research Process Workshop Outline Was this resource helpful? << Previous: Determining Information Needs Next: Academic, Popular & Trade Publications >> Last Updated: Aug 12, 2024 7:35 AM URL: https://resources.nu.edu/researchprocess © Copyright 2024 National University. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Consumer Information Henry Whittemore Library Understanding scientific literature, primary sources, secondary sources, tertiary sources. Identifying a Research Article Scholarly vs. Popular Literature What are primary sources? In the sciences primary sources are original research or data. Primary sources can include any of the following publications  Journal Articles -- Journal articles can be primary sources if they contain original research, but keep in mind that not all journal articles are primary sources. Reports -- Reports are publications on research that are published independently of a journal. They are often published by governments or companies. Theses and Dissertations -- Theses and Dissertations are the original research of an academic working on a degree.  Conference Proceedings -- Conference Proceedings are a collection of papers that have been presented at a conference.  Published Data -- Data can be considered a primary source, as it is the product of original research. Why use primary sources?   Primary sources are a researchers firsthand account of their research. They provide an in depth view into how the research was conducted, and may contain supplemental materials like questionnaires used. A summary of a study or experiment in a book or review paper may not discuss all the findings, and you can gain more insight into a particular topic or issue by looking at the primary sources.  How to find primary sources: Resources for finding primary sources include:  Databases and Indexes -- The exact database or index you choose to search will depend on the discipline you are searching in.  Review Papers -- Review papers are often synthesized from other researchers to give an in-depth understanding of the current state of knowledge on a topic. If you have found a review paper when you are looking for a research paper don't fear! If the review paper is on the write topic it will cite plenty of research papers on your topic of interest.  What are secondary sources? In the sciences secondary sources analyze, interpret, summarize, or evaluate the findings of primary sources. Secondary sources can include any of the following publications:  Journal review articles -- A review article summarizes past research on a given topic. Review articles can range from highly intensive systematic or integrative reviews or less rigorous literature reviews. Textbooks -- The information in textbooks in the sciences is the product of past research.   Monographs -- A monograph is a book-length scholarly publication dedicated to a single topic.  Secondary sources can save you time by providing information on the current state of knowledge on a given topic, and also as a way to find primary resources. If you are interested to know what are important, seminal papers in on a topic look at what papers are cited in a textbook on that topic. Review papers can give you in-depth information on a particular research area. Secondary resources are also often less technical than primary resources.  How to find secondary sources: Resources for finding secondary sources  Databases and Indexes -- Databases and indexes are particularly useful for finding review articles.   The Library Catalog or Ram Search -- The library catalog or Ram Search will help you locate books on the topic you are interested in.  What are tertiary sources? In the sciences tertiary resources are synthesized from primary and secondary resources. They usually provide summaries on the current state of knowledge. Tertiary sources can include the following publications:  Encyclopedias Dictionaries  Factbooks  Almanacs  Why use tertiary sources? Tertiary sources can be viewed as a jumping off point for your own research. They provide succinct  summaries on topics, and can be a good way to familiarize yourself with the terminology on a topic before you begin searching the databases. How to find tertiary sources: Resources for finding tertiary sources include:  The Library Catalog or Ram Search -- Keep in mind a majority of our encyclopedias are in the reference room.  LibGuides and the Library Website -- We have a number of digital encyclopedias. Check the LibGuide for your field to see what digital encyclopedias we might offer! << Previous: Home Next: Identifying a Research Article >> Last Updated: Jul 11, 2024 5:07 PM URL: https://library.framingham.edu/scienceliterature Library Socials Contact us:. [email protected] Phone: (508) 626-4650 [email protected] Phone: (508) 626-4654 Search this site USC Libraries Research Guides Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper Secondary Sources Purpose of Guide Design Flaws to Avoid Independent and Dependent Variables Glossary of Research Terms Reading Research Effectively Narrowing a Topic Idea Broadening a Topic Idea Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea Academic Writing Style Applying Critical Thinking Choosing a Title Making an Outline Paragraph Development Research Process Video Series Executive Summary The C.A.R.S. Model Background Information The Research Problem/Question Theoretical Framework Citation Tracking Content Alert Services Evaluating Sources Primary Sources Tiertiary Sources Scholarly vs. Popular Publications Qualitative Methods Quantitative Methods Insiderness Using Non-Textual Elements Limitations of the Study Common Grammar Mistakes Writing Concisely Avoiding Plagiarism Footnotes or Endnotes? Further Readings Generative AI and Writing USC Libraries Tutorials and Other Guides Bibliography In the social sciences, a secondary source is usually a scholar book, journal article, or digital or print document that was created by someone who did not directly experience or participate in the events or conditions under investigation. Secondary sources are not evidence per se, but rather, provide an interpretation, analysis, or commentary derived from the content of primary source materials and/or other secondary sources. Value of Secondary Sources To do research, you must cite research. Primary sources do not represent research per se, but only the artifacts from which most research is derived. Therefore, the majority of sources in a literature review are secondary sources that present research findings, analysis, and the evaluation of other researcher's works. Reviewing secondary source material can be of valu e in improving your overall research paper because secondary sources facilitate the communication of what is known about a topic. This literature also helps you understand the level of uncertainty about what is currently known and what additional information is needed from further research. It is important to note, however, that secondary sources are not the subject of your analysis. Instead, they represent various opinions, interpretations, and arguments about the research problem you are investigating--opinions, interpretations, and arguments with which you may either agree or disagree with as part of your own analysis of the literature. Examples of secondary sources you could review as part of your overall study include:     * Bibliographies [also considered tertiary]     * Biographical works     * Books, other than fiction and autobiography     * Commentaries, criticisms     * Dictionaries, Encyclopedias [also considered tertiary]     * Histories     * Journal articles [depending on the discipline, they can be primary]     * Magazine and newspaper articles [this distinction varies by discipline]     * Textbooks [also considered tertiary]     * Web site [also considered primary] << Previous: Primary Sources Next: Tiertiary Sources >> Last Updated: Sep 4, 2024 9:40 AM URL: https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide * Research Basics * What Is Research? Types of Research Secondary Research | Literature Review Developing Your Topic Using and Evaluating Sources Ethics & Responsible Conduct of Research More Information Last Updated: Jul 24, 2024 4:33 PM URL: https://guides.library.iit.edu/research_basics Introduction to Special Collections & Archives: Primary vs. Secondary Sources Primary vs. Secondary Sources Oral Histories Special Collections Historical Newspapers History and Political Science Resources Primary, Secondary, & Archival Sources Primary Sources Primary sources are written or created by people who actually experienced or witnessed an event . This can take the form of scientific data that the author collected themselves, like the U.S. census or data collected during an experiment or study. Primary sources also include qualitative forms, like what people say, do, and experience. These sources can take various forms like written, audio, video, or photographic. Archival Sources are primary sources that have been created during the course of everyday life and have enduring value as evidence of the past. This enduring value and the ways archives are organized vary by the preserving institution. Archives tend to be organized and labeled differently than other primary sources or secondary sources that can be found in a library. Rather than being grouped by topic, archival materials are grouped by creator in as close to the creator’s organization as possible. Primary/Archival sources include : speeches and interviews; autobiographies, journals/diaries, letters/emails, blogs, social media, government documents, etc. Note : Newspapers and magazines could be any of these types of sources, depending on how they are being viewed and used. Both newspapers and magazines contain articles and images of events, and could contain interviews. If the journalist is considered a witness to the event, then they have created a primary source. If this source is deemed to have enduring value, it could become an archival source. If, however, the article is a commentary or editorial, and the journalist is not considered a witness, then they have created a secondary source. Secondary Sources Secondary sources are the types of material most people are familiar with. They are interpretations or analyses of events the author did not personally experience , often based on other’s writings. Secondary sources include : scholarly books and articles, textbooks, commentaries, encyclopedias, etc. Tertiary Sources and Beyond Tertiary sources are even further removed from the original event our source of data. These are works that primarily reference secondary sources . Tertiary sources include: encyclopedias, literature reviews Interim Head of Special Collections/Archivist << Previous: Home Next: Archives >> Last Updated: Sep 4, 2024 4:36 PM URL: https://utahtech.libguides.com/specialcollections_archives Peer-Reviewed Literature: Peer-Reviewed Research: Primary vs. Secondary Peer-Reviewed Research: Primary vs. Secondary Types of Peer Review Identifying Peer-Reviewed Research Peer Reviewed Research Published literature can be either peer-reviewed or non-peer-reviewed. Official research reports are almost always peer reviewed while a journal's other content is usually not. In the health sciences, official research can be primary, secondary, or even tertiary. It can be an original experiment or investigation (primary), an analysis or evaluation of primary research (secondary), or findings that compile secondary research (tertiary). If you are doing research yourself, then primary or secondary sources can reveal more in-depth information. Primary Research Primary research is information presented in its original form without interpretation by other researchers. While it may acknowledge previous studies or sources, it always presents original thinking, reports on discoveries, or new information about a topic. Health sciences research that is primary includes both experimental trials and observational studies where subjects may be tested for outcomes or investigated to gain relevant insight.  Randomized Controlled Trials are the most prominent experimental design because randomized subjects offer the most compelling evidence for the effectiveness of an intervention. See the below graphic and below powerpoint for further information on primary research studies. Research Design Secondary Research Secondary research is an account of original events or facts. It is secondary to and retrospective of the actual findings from an experiment or trial. These studies may be appraised summaries, reviews, or interpretations of primary sources and often exclude the original researcher(s). In the health sciences, meta-analysis and systematic reviews are the most frequent types of secondary research.  A meta-analysis is a quantitative method of combining the results of primary research. In analyzing the relevant data and statistical findings from experimental trials or observational studies, it can more accurately calculate effective resolutions regarding certain health topics. A systematic review is a summary of research that addresses a focused clinical question in a systematic, reproducible manner. In order to provide the single best estimate of effect in clinical decision making, primary research studies are pooled together and then filtered through an inclusion/exclusion process. The relevant data and findings are then compiled and synthesized to arrive at a more accurate conclusion about a specific health topic. Only peer-reviewed publications are used and analyzed in a methodology which may or may not include a meta-analysis. << Previous: Home Next: Types of Peer Review >> Last Updated: Sep 29, 2023 10:05 AM URL: https://ttuhsc.libguides.com/PeerReview Hist 100: Children’s History and the History of Children (Fall 2024) Introduction Children in the Archives How do we have so many Resources? Primary V. Secondary [Activity] Finding Encyclopedias What is Peer Review? Types of Sources What IS a "good" Secondary Source? [Activity] How to order articles we don't own? Worldcat: Accessing books we don't own Primary Source Databases Evaluating Sources Stuck or need help? No problem! What are Primary & Secondary Sources? A Primary Source are first hand accounts & materials from the period under examination. These may include: contemporary publications autobiographies music/songs recordings or images performance Reviews Broadsides / Posters Legal documents For this class, it will also include novels, literature, images. A Secondary Source is produces after the fact and is not produced during the time under examination. Some of this contact may be popular culture artifacts, such as: Academic articles Biographies Magazine articles Interviews years later biographies film & television Some of these secondary sources will also be academic or peer reviewed content namely books and articles. The Line Between Primary & Secondary Can be Tricky Say I'm interested in the 19th century. Would this be a primary source? If I am interested in Sunday-Schools in the late 19th century, what about this work? << Previous: How do we have so many Resources? Next: Primary V. Secondary [Activity] >> Last Updated: Sep 6, 2024 8:34 AM URL: https://guides.libraries.wm.edu/HIST100ChildrenFa24 Accounting (ACC) Business Writing Company Research Evaluating Information IBISWorld: An Introductory Guide Mergent Online: An Introductory Guide Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources in Business Research Primary Sources Secondary sources, tertiary sources. Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) Graduate Students Business Case Studies Looking for your class? Need Help? Ask Your Librarian! A primary source is firsthand testimony or direct evidence. In business research, this could be an interview in a news article, financial statements from an annual report, images of company logos, census data collected by the government, a new law that affects businesses, and data collected by an academic researcher for a new research project. Here are some examples of primary sources available via the Library: Financial information on 10,000+ publicly traded companies on the NYSE, AMEX and NASDAQ exchanges, including EDGAR/SEC filings. Also includes industry analysis and private companies. Read more about this resource. Online version of Annual Statement Studies. Composite financial data and financial ratio benchmarks for small, medium, and large U.S. companies. Search by industry keyword or NAICS. Advanced search by industry, year, region, and data type such as assets and sales. Create custom maps using downloadable U.S. datasets. Topics covered: people (demographics, consumer expenditures, market segments, sales potential), businesses (establishments, employees, retail sales), consumer price index, crime, and weather. Geographies available: states, congressional district, counties, cities, zip code, census tract, block groups, and street address. Not all data available in all geographies. Current data for 10,000+ advertising agencies with key accounts, 15,000+ advertiser profiles with annual spending, and 100,000+ brand names. Includes contact information for key personnel within agencies and advertisers. Does not work in Internet Explorer. Learn how to search this database. New Feature: Winmo users can now access demographic data and social audience intelligence and track social media followers with the new StatSocial add-on for demographic insights. Search for a company or navigate to the Advanced Search and click Companies or Brands and click on Social Demographics. Learn more about the StatSocial add-on. A secondary source uses primary sources as a way to interpret and evaluate past events. In business research, this could be a news round-up in a trade journal, a market research report, an industry profile, an annotated bibliography, a peer-reviewed article that critiques existing research, and just about any book. Below are some examples of secondary sources available via the Library: Business news and analysis. Peer-reviewed research. Case studies and SWOT analyses. Country reports. Includes Harvard Business Review. Read more about this resource or watch a how-to video. TCB research is a searchable database of full-text research reports on the latest issues in business management and US and global economics. Proprietary, nonbiased research includes studies of F500 companies on business trends, leadership decisions, performance excellence, corporate governance, HR, productivity, CRM and more. Economics material includes topline US and global economic indicators and analysis and forecasts of US and international economic conditions by our chief economist. ProQuest Ebook Central (formerly ebrary and EBL) is a multidisciplinary collection of ebooks from numerous academic publishers. Visit the help page. NOTE: Titles can be dropped by the publisher without prior notice. This collection includes over 8,000 ebooks covering a range of academic topics. Watch a how-to video. U.S., China, Canada, and global industry market research reports. Funded by the College of Business Administration. Read more about this resource. A tertiary source summarizes information from primary and secondary sources. Tertiary sources are a good way to get a quick overview of any given topic. Most textbooks are tertiary sources. Below are some examples of tertiary sources available via the Library: Provides country profiles, news, statistics, and trends (political, economic, etc.). The GVRL collection includes encyclopedias and other reference works supporting a wide range of academic disciplines. A collection of over 50 encyclopedias about business, counseling, criminology, education, geography, health, media, politics, psychology, and sociology. << Previous: Mergent Online: An Introductory Guide Next: Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) >> Last Updated: Sep 5, 2024 4:19 PM URL: https://libguides.library.cpp.edu/accounting An official website of the United States government Here's how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. A lock ( ) or https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. Keyboard Navigation Use these commands to navigate the primary menu and its sub menus via keyboard. 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The purpose of the meeting was to understand differing contextual approaches, priorities, and implications of inclusive gender research in agricultural innovation and development; spotlight systems and scaling obstacles while promoting transformative, equitable solutions; and seize opportunities for gender-focused leadership and global collaboration in driving inclusive innovation for improved livelihoods. Sessions included presentations on FTFIL approaches to innovate for social transformation, mainstream gender into traditional research agendas and scaling formulas, redirect innovation that could exacerbate inequality, and partner with minority-serving institutions (MSIs) for improved innovation, scaling, and local engagement. Reports to Congress Every year Congress asks the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to submit a series of reports on various matters of concern. In an effort to provide a maximum of transparency to the general public, these reports are now being made available at this web site. Related Reports Child wasting, fy 2024. August 30, 2024 Food Security, FY 2024 July 23, 2024 International Food Assistance Report, FY 2023 July 18, 2024 Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act, 2023 December 14, 2023 Share This Page 151 IMAGES primary and secondary sources in research methodology pdf 15 Secondary Research Examples (2024) Difference between Primary Research and Secondary Research Primary Vs Secondary Source Examples Primary & Secondary Sources 27 Real Primary Research Examples (2024) VIDEO Data and it's types || Source of Data || The Maddy World #secondary #source #data #primarydata Source Types The Power of Secondary Data in Client Reports Field visit report primary health care centre (PHC) D pharm first year whole details Primary vs Secondary Research|Difference between primary and secondary research|Research Leverage Library/Archival Resources for Student-Centered Course Projects COMMENTS Primary vs. Secondary Sources Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples Primary Vs Secondary Source A primary source is direct or first-hand evidence about an event, person, object, or work of art, often created during the event. A secondary source interprets, analyses, or summarises information from primary sources, offering a second-hand account or perspective on the original data. Primary vs. Secondary Primary vs. Secondary - Primary Sources: A Research Guide Primary vs. Secondary Sources: The Differences Explained Primary and secondary sources are the two main types of sources you'll use for your research. This video will walk you through what their differences are and... Primary vs. secondary sources: how to distinguish them A primary source can help you to evaluate a secondary source - you will notice aspects of it which the author dismisses, or washes over in their discussion. Likewise, a secondary source can tell you about current trends in research and analysis, while providing you with a broad overview or summary of an extended period of time, or the works of ... Primary vs. secondary sources Scholarly articles that interpret original data (the raw data would be a primary source) Blog or website posts describing or interpreting an event or person; Read this alumnae/i post about women's fashion at Vassar College. The article is a secondary source, while the photograph below is a primary source. Image Source Understanding Primary and Secondary Sources Understanding Primary and Secondary Sources What is Secondary Research? Secondary research can be qualitative or quantitative in nature. It often uses data gathered from published peer-reviewed papers, meta-analyses, or government or private sector databases and datasets. Tip: Primary vs. secondary sources It can be easy to get confused about the difference between primary and secondary sources in your Performing Academic Research: Primary and secondary sources Secondary sources report, describe, comment on, or analyze the experiences or work of others. A secondary source is at least once removed from the primary source. It reports on the original work, the direct observation, or the firsthand experience. It will often use primary sources as examples. Secondary sources can include books, textbooks ... Distinguish Between Primary and Secondary Sources Distinguish Between Primary and Secondary Sources Primary vs. Secondary Sources Primary vs. Secondary Sources - Subject Guides Primary vs. Secondary Sources Primary vs. Secondary Sources - Evidence Based Practice What is the Difference Between a Primary and Secondary Source? What Is the Difference Between a Primary and Secondary ... Primary & Secondary Sources Primary Sources :: Defined. Primary sources provide firsthand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic or question under investigation. They are usually created by witnesses or recorders who experienced the events or conditions being documented. Often these sources are created at the time when the events or conditions are occurring. Research Guides: Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources in the Health Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources in the Health ... Primary vs. Secondary Sources for Scientific Research The following are some characteristics of scientific primary sources: They report results/findings/data from experiments or research studies. They do not include meta-analyses, systematic reviews, or literature reviews. These are secondary sources. They are frequently found in peer-reviewed or scholarly journals. Lesley University Library: Finding and Using Primary Resources: Home Primary sources are those created contemporaneously to whatever period a researcher is studying. In contrast to secondary sources, they don't provide any analysis on a given topic after the fact; instead, they reflect on information or events as they unfolded (for example, a newspaper article, from the time of a particular historical event, discussing the historical event as it happened). LibGuides: Research Process: Primary and Secondary Resources Primary and Secondary Resources - Research Process Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources If you have found a review paper when you are looking for a research paper don't fear! If the review paper is on the write topic it will cite plenty of research papers on your topic of interest. ... In the sciences secondary sources analyze, interpret, summarize, or evaluate the findings of primary sources. Secondary sources can include any of ... Secondary Sources To do research, you must cite research. Primary sources do not represent research per se, but only the artifacts from which most research is derived. Therefore, the majority of sources in a literature review are secondary sources that present research findings, analysis, and the evaluation of other researcher's works. Primary vs. Secondary Sources College-level research can be difficult, even for students who have previously done research. This guide is a great starting point for learning about how to successfully conduct literature-based research, such as secondary research or a literature review. This page is not currently available due to visibility settings. Primary vs. Secondary Sources Primary sources also include qualitative forms, like what people say, do, and experience. These sources can take various forms like written, audio, video, or photographic. Archival Sources are primary sources that have been created during the course of everyday life and have enduring value as evidence of the past. This enduring value and the ... Peer-Reviewed Research: Primary vs. Secondary It is secondary to and retrospective of the actual findings from an experiment or trial. These studies may be appraised summaries, reviews, or interpretations of primary sources and often exclude the original researcher(s). In the health sciences, meta-analysis and systematic reviews are the most frequent types of secondary research. Primary VS Secondary Sources Research Guides; Hist 100: Children's History and the History of Children (Fall 2024) ... A Primary Source are first hand accounts & materials from the period under examination. These may include: ... A Secondary Source is produces after the fact and is not produced during the time under examination. Some of this contact may be popular ... Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources in Business Research ... A secondary source uses primary sources as a way to interpret and evaluate past events. In business research, this could be a news round-up in a trade journal, a market research report, an industry profile, an annotated bibliography, a peer-reviewed article that critiques existing research, and just about any book. Title XII Report to Congress, FY 2023 USAID partners with Title XII universities on a wide range of topics to leverage the advanced capacities of U.S. universities, including on agricultural research and development, analytics, climate change, and nutrition. Many of these partnerships are within the Feed the Future Innovation Labs (FTFILs), which focus on research to reduce hunger, poverty, and malnutrition as part of the U.S ... assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis