A primary source is a record of a person, event, or occurrence that was created by an eye-witness or participant's version of an event. A primary source is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study. According to the Library of Congress, "Primary sources are the raw materials of history — original documents and objects which were created at the time under study. They are different from secondary sources, accounts or interpretations of events created by someone without firsthand experience." Types of primary sources include:
memoirs and diaries government documents personal narratives
letters autobiographies oral histories
interviews news film footage journal articles with original research results
manuscripts original maps newspaper articles (from the time of the event)
archival records sound recordings and movies
speeches works of literature ( poetry, fiction)
Use these terms as search terms in the library catalog and in library databases to access primary sources.
Secondary sources are created by persons who were not direct participants in an event. The author of a secondary source interprets, explains and analyzes primary sources not personally witnessed or participated in by the author. Secondary sources are one or more steps removed from the event. Secondary sources can be found in books, journals, or Internet resources. Secondary sources include sources with published scholarship on a subject, rather than supplementary material found in dictionaries or encyclopedias. Supplementary materials are often referred to as tertiary sources. Types of secondary sources include:
biographies newspaper articles on events after the fact journal review articles
literary criticism book, art, and theatre reviews literature reviews
textbooks magazine articles atlases
Use these terms as search terms in the library catalog and in library databases to facilitate access to secondary sources.
A tertiary source presents summaries or short versions of materials, usually with references back to the primary and/or secondary sources. They are useful supplementary sources which can be used to look up facts or get a general overview of a topic. Types of tertiary sources include:
dictionaries textbooks (may also be secondary) almanacs
encyclopedias directories handbooks
guidebooks compilations indexes
abstracts bibliographies
Use these terms as search terms in the library catalog and in library databases to access tertiary sources.
|
Subject |
Primary Source |
Secondary Source |
Tertiary Source |
|
Art and Architecture |
Painting by Van Gogh |
Article reviewing the artistic significance of the painting |
Art Encyclopedia |
|
Chemistry/Life Sciences |
Einstein's 1912 manuscript on the special theory of relativity |
Biography of Einstein's life |
Dictionary on Theory of Relativity |
|
Engineering/Physical Sciences |
Patent filed in U. S. Patent Office |
Article discussing the usefulness of patents |
Encylopedia of Inventions |
|
Humanities |
Letters by Theodore Roosevelt |
Web site on the history of the family of Theodore Roosevelt |
Almanac of American Presidents |
|
Literature |
Novel ,The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck |
Magazine article reviewing the novel, The Grapes of Wrath |
Encyclopedia of American Literature |
|
Performing Arts |
Copy of an original movie |
Biography of the director |
Handbook of Movies |
This video from Nova Southeastern University outlines what primary and secondary sources are and how users can tell the difference between the two. Focuses mainly on research articles. 4.56 minutes long.
