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Library Research Guide: Crescent Libraries: Primary and Secondary Sources

This guide will show you the basics of effective research tips and habits.

What are primary and secondary sources?

Primary and secondary sources are ways in which information is classified. A primary source is a first-hand account or creation, while secondary sources are interpretations or analyses of primary sources. (You will sometimes see 'tertiary sources' used to refer to items like encyclopedias and dictionaries -- however, these are still classified under secondary sources.) Primary and secondary sources both have important roles to play in research and understanding their differences to make use of both is key to finding a good balance of information.

Primary Sources

A primary source is a first-hand account or piece(s) of evidence regarding a person, subject, topic, etc.

Common examples of primary sources include:

original documents: speeches, letters, manuscripts, interviews, photographs/videos, autobiographies, notes, etc.
creative works: books, drama, artwork, music, poetry, video games, etc.
physical works: clothes, buildings, relics and artifacts, furniture, etc.

 

Why might you use a primary source instead of a secondary source?

  • the primary source is more reliable than a secondary source (ex. using data from an organization that has the resources to conduct large-scale investigations and data collection as opposed to a single person who tried to gather that data themselves)
  • you need hard facts and evidence as opposed to thoughts and interpretations, such as a direct quotation or figure

 

Using primary sources:

  • helps you find new information and make new discoveries
  • provides factual, authoritative evidence
  • creates credibility

Secondary Sources

A secondary source is a typically scholarly interpretation or analysis of a primary source.

Common examples of secondary sources include:

textbooks, criticisms and commentaries, dictionaries and encyclopedias, editorials, biographies, etc.

 

Why might you use a secondary source instead of a primary source?

  • the primary source it is based on is inaccessible (hard to find, difficult to understand, no translation, oral histories, etc.)
  • secondary sources can be more time-efficient (ex. reading an article rather than an entire book)
  • secondary sources offer additional insights and commentary based on the context or content of other events or sources happening around a primary source (ex. a diary by a WWI soldier can be expanded on with secondary sources about the psychological effects of war, what battles that soldier participated in, etc.; or a religious text that is split into two columns with the primary text on one side and the commentary and interpretation of a religious scholar on the other)

 

Using secondary sources:

  • builds on your understanding and helps you explain your reasoning
  • lets you gather information on otherwise inaccessible primary resources, such as lost materials
  • supports or contrasts your stance by using other researcher's ideas and interpretations

How do you tell if a resource is primary or secondary?

A source can also be primary or secondary to your research depending on how you intend to use it. For example, you might watch a documentary about the War of 1812, which is typically a secondary source since it is commenting on a historical event. However, if you are watching the documentary because you are studying the director and their techniques or common elements in their works, this would be a primary source in your research. Ask yourself the following questions every time you use a source:

  1. Is this source from someone involved in the subject matter or from someone examining it?
  2. Does the source give me new information or is it commenting on information?
  3. Am I evaluating the source itself or am I using it for information?

These questions can help you determine your intended use of the source and whether or not it is primary or secondary.

Effective researchers use both primary and secondary sources in their studies. If you use too many primary resources, your research may be seen as overly factual and lacking interpretation and ideas. If you use too many secondary resources, your research may be seen as unoriginal, unreliable, or lazy.

When you research for your assignments in class, think about the subject. If you are doing a science project, you'll want more primary sources that show exact evidence of your theory. If you are doing a history project, you'll want more secondary sources that comment on historical context.