how to use primary and secondary sources in a research paper

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
Literature Review
Citation Styles
Paraphrasing
Privacy / Confidentiality
Research Process
Selecting Your Topic
Identifying Keywords
Gathering Background Info
Evaluating Sources

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.

how to use primary and secondary sources in a research paper

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 vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples

Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples

Published on 4 September 2022 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on 15 May 2023.

When you do research, you have to gather information and evidence from a variety of sources.

Primary sources provide raw information and first-hand evidence. Examples include interview transcripts, statistical data, and works of art. A primary source gives you direct access to the subject of your research.

Secondary sources provide second-hand information and commentary from other researchers. Examples include journal articles, reviews, and academic books . A secondary source describes, interprets, or synthesises primary sources.

Primary sources are more credible as evidence, but good research uses both primary and secondary sources.

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What is a primary source, what is a secondary source, primary and secondary source examples, how to tell if a source is primary or secondary, primary vs secondary sources: which is better, frequently asked questions about primary and secondary sources.

A primary source is anything that gives you direct evidence about the people, events, or phenomena that you are researching. Primary sources will usually be the main objects of your analysis.

If you are researching the past, you cannot directly access it yourself, so you need primary sources that were produced at the time by participants or witnesses (e.g. letters, photographs, newspapers ).

If you are researching something current, your primary sources can either be qualitative or quantitative data that you collect yourself (e.g. through interviews, surveys, experiments) or sources produced by people directly involved in the topic (e.g. official documents or media texts).

Primary sources
Research field	Primary source
History
Art and literature
Communication and social studies
Law and politics
Sciences

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A secondary source is anything that describes, interprets, evaluates, or analyses information from primary sources. Common examples include:

Books , articles and documentaries that synthesise information on a topic
Synopses and descriptions of artistic works
Encyclopaedias and textbooks that summarize information and ideas
Reviews and essays that evaluate or interpret something

When you cite a secondary source, it’s usually not to analyse it directly. Instead, you’ll probably test its arguments against new evidence or use its ideas to help formulate your own.

Primary and secondary source examples
Primary source	Secondary source
Novel	Article analysing the novel
Painting	Exhibition catalog explaining the painting
Letters and diaries written by a historical figure	Biography of the historical figure
Essay by a philosopher	Textbook summarising the philosopher’s ideas
Photographs of a historical event	Documentary about the historical event
Government documents about a new policy	Newspaper article about the new policy
Music recordings	Academic book about the musical style
Results of an opinion poll	Blog post interpreting the results of the poll
Empirical study	Literature review that cites the study

Examples of sources that can be primary or secondary

A secondary source can become a primary source depending on your research question . If the person, context, or technique that produced the source is the main focus of your research, it becomes a primary source.

To determine if something can be used as a primary or secondary source in your research, there are some simple questions you can ask yourself:

Does this source come from someone directly involved in the events I’m studying (primary) or from another researcher (secondary)?
Am I interested in analysing the source itself (primary) or only using it for background information (secondary)?
Does the source provide original information (primary) or does it comment upon information from other sources (secondary)?

Most research uses both primary and secondary sources. They complement each other to help you build a convincing argument. Primary sources are more credible as evidence, but secondary sources show how your work relates to existing research.

What do you use primary sources for?

Primary sources are the foundation of original research. They allow you to:

Make new discoveries
Provide credible evidence for your arguments
Give authoritative information about your topic

If you don’t use any primary sources, your research may be considered unoriginal or unreliable.

What do you use secondary sources for?

Secondary sources are good for gaining a full overview of your topic and understanding how other researchers have approached it. They often synthesise a large number of primary sources that would be difficult and time-consuming to gather by yourself. They allow you to:

Gain background information on the topic
Support or contrast your arguments with other researchers’ ideas
Gather information from primary sources that you can’t access directly (e.g. private letters or physical documents located elsewhere)

When you conduct a literature review , you can consult secondary sources to gain a thorough overview of your topic. If you want to mention a paper or study that you find cited in a secondary source, seek out the original source and cite it directly.

Remember that all primary and secondary sources must be cited to avoid plagiarism . You can use Scribbr’s free citation generator to do so!

Common examples of primary sources include interview transcripts , photographs, novels, paintings, films, historical documents, and official statistics.

Anything you directly analyze or use as first-hand evidence can be a primary source, including qualitative or quantitative data that you collected yourself.

Common examples of secondary sources include academic books, journal articles , reviews, essays , and textbooks.

Anything that summarizes, evaluates or interprets primary sources can be a secondary source. If a source gives you an overview of background information or presents another researcher’s ideas on your topic, it is probably a secondary source.

To determine if a source is primary or secondary, ask yourself:

Was the source created by someone directly involved in the events you’re studying (primary), or by another researcher (secondary)?
Does the source provide original information (primary), or does it summarize information from other sources (secondary)?
Are you directly analyzing the source itself (primary), or only using it for background information (secondary)?

Some types of sources are nearly always primary: works of art and literature, raw statistical data, official documents and records, and personal communications (e.g. letters, interviews ). If you use one of these in your research, it is probably a primary source.

Primary sources are often considered the most credible in terms of providing evidence for your argument, as they give you direct evidence of what you are researching. However, it’s up to you to ensure the information they provide is reliable and accurate.

Always make sure to properly cite your sources to avoid plagiarism .

A fictional movie is usually a primary source. A documentary can be either primary or secondary depending on the context.

If you are directly analysing some aspect of the movie itself – for example, the cinematography, narrative techniques, or social context – the movie is a primary source.

If you use the movie for background information or analysis about your topic – for example, to learn about a historical event or a scientific discovery – the movie is a secondary source.

Whether it’s primary or secondary, always properly cite the movie in the citation style you are using. Learn how to create an MLA movie citation or an APA movie citation .

Articles in newspapers and magazines can be primary or secondary depending on the focus of your research.

In historical studies, old articles are used as primary sources that give direct evidence about the time period. In social and communication studies, articles are used as primary sources to analyse language and social relations (for example, by conducting content analysis or discourse analysis ).

If you are not analysing the article itself, but only using it for background information or facts about your topic, then the article is a secondary source.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2023, May 15). Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 24 June 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/working-sources/primary-vs-secondary-sources/

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Evaluating Information

Introduction.

Primary Sources
Secondary Sources

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.

Type	Arts/Humanities	Sciences
Primary sources	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, proceedings of conferences
Secondary sources	Biographies, Histories, Reviews, Encyclopaedias, Literary criticism	Discussion of importance, analysis of clinical trial, review of results

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.

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Healey Library
Research Guides

Primary Sources: A Research Guide

Primary vs. Secondary
Historical Newspapers
Book Collections
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Open Access
Local Archives and Archival Societies
University Archives and Special Collections at UMass Boston

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



Artwork		Article critiquing the piece of art
Diary		Book about a specific subject
Interview		Biography
Letters		Dissertation
Performance		Review of play
Poem		Treatise on a particular genre of poetry
Treaty		Essay on a treaty

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

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Last Updated: Jun 25, 2024 7:56 PM
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* Research Basics *

What Is Research?
Types of Research
Secondary Research | Literature Review
Developing Your Topic

What Is a Primary or Secondary Source?

What does that mean to me as a student or researcher at illinois tech, why is it important to use primary sources, does that mean i should only use primary sources.

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At its simplest, a primary source is an account of something that happened by the people who were there, such as participants or witnesses. A secondary source is an account of something that happened by people who were NOT there, often framed as a review, summary, or analysis. Technically, a secondary source is a review or analysis of primary sources—there’s also what’s called a tertiary source, that analyzes secondary sources, and so on.

The most common type of primary source used at Illinois Tech is the research paper written by the researcher(s) who actually carried out the work. These papers are typically published as articles in peer-reviewed journals but could also be in the form of a thesis or dissertation, research report, case study, clinical trial, etc. In addition to written reports, various ancillary materials can be primary sources. These include data, surveys, questionnaires, interviews, computer code, images, and other supporting materials that were generated or collected as part of the work.

Secondary sources may be published in peer-reviewed journals as well but most often occur in popular media, like websites, blogs, newspapers, etc. Secondary sources in peer-reviewed journals are easy to identify because they use the word “review” in the title or abstract and don’t present any new research. Also considered as secondary sources are any ancillary materials that were re-used or repurposed from other research.

Interestingly, primary source research papers almost always include a review of prior research as part of the introduction or as a “literature review” section. The primary source material only includes those parts that talk about the new research: the methodology, results, discussion of results, conclusions, or other similar sections.

Simply put, people make mistakes. There’s an old party game called Telephone where a phrase is whispered from one person to the next around the room and at the end of the game, everybody is amused at how the phrase or its meaning has changed. Using secondary, tertiary, or other sources is like playing Telephone with your research. Reviews and other secondary accounts are summaries, so even at their best they omit parts of the original research and lack the detail and nuance of the original paper. At worst, a review author could entirely misunderstand or misrepresent the original research.

No, not at all. For older, well-established research that’s had ample time to be reviewed and consolidated into the general knowledge of the field, there’s no need to go back to primary source material unless you’re challenging the conventional interpretation.

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Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources: A Quick Guide: Primary Sources

Primary Sources
Secondary Sources
Tertiary Sources

What is a Primary Source?

Here are two definitions that try to capture the elusive nature of primary documents.

A definition from Cornell University:

A definition from Yale University:

"What are primary sources? 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, but primary sources can also include autobiographies, memoirs, and oral histories recorded later." [ Primary Sources at Yale . Yale University.] Also on this site: Primary Sources come in all shapes and sizes.

A Photograph Can be a Primary Source

Antietam, Md. President Lincoln with Gen. George B. McClellan and group of officers. [October 3, 1862] Gardner, Alexander, 1821-1882, photographer. Source : Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

Online Collections of Primary Sources: Examples

Library of Congress. Digital Collections. Washington: Library of Congress, National Digital Library Program, 1994- .
History: Primary Sources Databases. Cornell University Library.
Making of America: The Cornell University Library MOA collection Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Library, 1996- .
Valley of the Shadow: Two Communities in the American Civil War

Permissions Information

If you wish to use or adapt any or all of the content of this Guide go to Cornell Library's Research Guides Use Conditions to review our use permissions and our Creative Commons license.

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Last Updated: Apr 12, 2024 4:30 PM
URL: https://guides.library.cornell.edu/sources

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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Last Updated: Nov 9, 2023 12:14 PM
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Methodology

Primary Research | Definition, Types, & Examples

Primary Research | Definition, Types, & Examples

Published on January 14, 2023 by Tegan George . Revised on January 12, 2024.

Primary research is a research method that relies on direct data collection , rather than relying on data that’s already been collected by someone else. In other words, primary research is any type of research that you undertake yourself, firsthand, while using data that has already been collected is called secondary research .

Primary research is often used in qualitative research , particularly in survey methodology, questionnaires, focus groups, and various types of interviews . While quantitative primary research does exist, it’s not as common.

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

Primary research is any research that you conduct yourself. It can be as simple as a 2-question survey, or as in-depth as a years-long longitudinal study . The only key is that data must be collected firsthand by you.

Primary research is often used to supplement or strengthen existing secondary research. It is usually exploratory in nature, concerned with examining a research question where no preexisting knowledge exists. It is also sometimes called original research for this reason.

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

Surveys and questionnaires
Observational studies
Interviews and focus groups

Surveys and questionnaires collect information about a group of people by asking them questions and analyzing the results. They are a solid choice if your research topic seeks to investigate something about the characteristics, preferences, opinions, or beliefs of a group of people.

Surveys and questionnaires can take place online, in person, or through the mail. It is best to have a combination of open-ended and closed-ended questions, and how the questions are phrased matters. Be sure to avoid leading questions, and ask any related questions in groups, starting with the most basic ones first.

Observational studies are an easy and popular way to answer a research question based purely on what you, the researcher, observes. If there are practical or ethical concerns that prevent you from conducting a traditional experiment , observational studies are often a good stopgap.

There are three types of observational studies: cross-sectional studies , cohort studies, and case-control studies. If you decide to conduct observational research, you can choose the one that’s best for you. All three are quite straightforward and easy to design—just beware of confounding variables and observer bias creeping into your analysis.

Similarly to surveys and questionnaires, interviews and focus groups also rely on asking questions to collect information about a group of people. However, how this is done is slightly different. Instead of sending your questions out into the world, interviews and focus groups involve two or more people—one of whom is you, the interviewer, who asks the questions.

There are 3 main types of interviews:

Structured interviews ask predetermined questions in a predetermined order.
Unstructured interviews are more flexible and free-flowing, proceeding based on the interviewee’s previous answers.
Semi-structured interviews fall in between, asking a mix of predetermined questions and off-the-cuff questions.

While interviews are a rich source of information, they can also be deceptively challenging to do well. Be careful of interviewer bias creeping into your process. This is best mitigated by avoiding double-barreled questions and paying close attention to your tone and delivery while asking questions.

Alternatively, a focus group is a group interview, led by a moderator. Focus groups can provide more nuanced interactions than individual interviews, but their small sample size means that external validity is low.

Primary research can often be quite simple to pursue yourself. Here are a few examples of different research methods you can use to explore different topics.

Primary research is a great choice for many research projects, but it has distinct advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of primary research

Advantages include:

The ability to conduct really tailored, thorough research, down to the “nitty-gritty” of your topic . You decide what you want to study or observe and how to go about doing that.
You maintain control over the quality of the data collected, and can ensure firsthand that it is objective, reliable , and valid .
The ensuing results are yours, for you to disseminate as you see fit. You maintain proprietary control over what you find out, allowing you to share your findings with like-minded individuals or those conducting related research that interests you for replication or discussion purposes.

Disadvantages of primary research

Disadvantages include:

In order to be done well, primary research can be very expensive and time consuming. If you are constrained in terms of time or funding, it can be very difficult to conduct your own high-quality primary research.
Primary research is often insufficient as a standalone research method, requiring secondary research to bolster it.
Primary research can be prone to various types of research bias . Bias can manifest on the part of the researcher as observer bias , Pygmalion effect , or demand characteristics . It can occur on the part of participants as a Hawthorne effect or social desirability bias .

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.

Chi square goodness of fit test
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

The 3 main types of primary research are:

Exploratory research aims to explore the main aspects of an under-researched problem, while explanatory research aims to explain the causes and consequences of a well-defined problem.

There are several methods you can use to decrease the impact of confounding variables on your research: restriction, matching, statistical control and randomization.

In restriction , you restrict your sample by only including certain subjects that have the same values of potential confounding variables.

In matching , you match each of the subjects in your treatment group with a counterpart in the comparison group. The matched subjects have the same values on any potential confounding variables, and only differ in the independent variable .

In statistical control , you include potential confounders as variables in your regression .

In randomization , you randomly assign the treatment (or independent variable) in your study to a sufficiently large number of subjects, which allows you to control for all potential confounding variables.

A questionnaire is a data collection tool or instrument, while a survey is an overarching research method that involves collecting and analyzing data from people using questionnaires.

When conducting research, collecting original data has significant advantages:

You can tailor data collection to your specific research aims (e.g. understanding the needs of your consumers or user testing your website)
You can control and standardize the process for high reliability and validity (e.g. choosing appropriate measurements and sampling methods )

However, there are also some drawbacks: data collection can be time-consuming, labor-intensive and expensive. In some cases, it’s more efficient to use secondary data that has already been collected by someone else, but the data might be less reliable.

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Primary Sources Guide

Understanding research sources.

African American Studies
Latin American & Latina/o Studies
Native American & Indigenous Studies
Evaluating Primary Sources
Citing Primary Sources

We are here to help! Get help via chat, text, or email.

Click the Chat Now tab located at the top right of this page.

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You can also make an appointment with a librarian.

What are Primary Sources?
What are Secondary Sources?
What are Tertiary Sources?

A primary source is a first-hand account from a person or organization who:

Created an original work
Participated in new scientific discoveries
Witnessed an event

Some examples of primary sources include:

Art and artifacts
Autobiographies, diaries, and memoirs
Interviews and oral histories
Novels and poetry
Photographs
Data and surveys

Why are primary sources useful? Primary sources are useful to:

Observe and analyze an event from an eyewitness perspective
Develop your own opinions and explanations
Learn if you agree or disagree with the authors of secondary/tertiary sources and their conclusions

A secondary source has the following qualities:

It comments on or analyzes something
It often summarizes or interprets primary sources
It's usually written by someone who was not directly involved or an eyewitness

Some examples of secondary sources include:

Analysis or criticism, such as literary criticism
Biographies
Essays and reviews

Why are secondary sources useful? Secondary sources are useful because they:

Help you consider diverse viewpoints about a topic
Organize and outline information in an approachable way
Offer information and analysis from experts

Remember, secondary sources are often based on studying and analyzing primary sources . Another way to think about it? Your research paper is a secondary source because you're analyzing and interpreting other sources.

A tertiary source has the following qualities:

It lists and compiles information without additional analysis
It repackages important ideas and information from other primary and secondary sources

Some examples of tertiary sources include:

Directories of local, state, and national organizations
Encyclopedias and dictionaries
Guidebooks and handbooks

Why are tertiary sources useful? Tertiary sources are useful because they help you:

Gather background information about a topic or concept
Find a variety of information in one source
Provide information in a concise and compact way

Examples of Primary Sources vs. Other Sources

Communications

One area of study at Central Piedmont where primary sources are often used is History . Here are some examples:

Primary Source = Autobiography : Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave by Frederick Douglass
Secondary Source = Biography : Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight

Another area of study at Central Piedmont where primary sources often come into play is English . Here are some examples:

Primary Source = Novel : Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
Secondary Source = Literary Criticism : Gabriel García Márquez in Retrospect: A Collection Book , edited by Gene H. Bell-Villada

One other area of study at Central Piedmont where primary sources often come into play is Communications . Here are some examples:

Primary Sources = Memoir : Deaf Utopia: A Memoir--And a Love Letter to a Way of Life by Nyle DiMarco
Secondary Sources = Journal Article : "Curriculum and Instruction for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students: Evidence from the Past—Considerations for the Future" (2023) by Maria C. Hartman, Elaine R. Smolen, and Brynne Powell
Tertiary Sources = Reference Book : American Sign Language: A Step-by-Step Guide to Signing by Suzie Chafin

Credit : Austin Community College's Primary Sources guide served as the inspiration and model for this LibGuide.

Additional Help

Next: Finding Primary Sources >>
Last Updated: Jun 26, 2024 8:48 AM
URL: https://researchguides.cpcc.edu/primary-sources

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Furman University
Special Collections & Archives

Information For Students

I have to write a research paper using primary sources. where do i start.

What is the difference between Primary and Secondary sources?
How do I cite primary source materials?
What are Special Collections and Archives?
Student Organizations

Primary sources are created by individuals who participated in or witnessed an event and recorded that event during or immediately after the event.

Explanation:

A student activist during the war writing about protest activities has created a memoir. This would be a primary source because the information is based on her own involvement in the events she describes. Similarly, an antiwar speech is a primary source. So is the arrest record of student protesters. A newspaper editorial or article, reporting on a student demonstration is also a primary source.

Deeds, wills, court documents, military records, tax records, census records, diaries, journals, letters, account books, advertisements, newspapers, photographs, and maps are primary sources.

Secondary sources are created by someone who was either not present when the event occurred or removed from it in time. We use secondary sources for overview information, and to help familiarize ourselves with a topic and compare that topic with other events in history.

History books, encyclopedias, historical dictionaries, and academic articles are secondary sources.

If you've never written a research paper using primary sources, it is important to understand that the process is different from using only secondary sources. Many students discover that finding and gaining access to primary source documents can be difficult. The Library website has a valuable guide to locating primary source documents. Follow the link below to be redirected to that guide:

https://libguides.furman.edu/resources/primary-sources

Students are encouraged to seek help from the Special Collections Librarian or Research Librarians to aid in their research projects. Librarians will be able to aid students in a variety of ways including helping to locate primary source materials.

After locating appropriate primary sources, it is necessary for students to analyze and interpret them. To many students, this task can seem arduous, if not overwhelming. There are many resources available in the library as well as online, which are helpful. The National Archives website has very useful analysis worksheets that can help students to determine the significance of primary source documents. Links to PDF files of these worksheets are listed below:

<< Previous: Archival Research
Next: What is the difference between Primary and Secondary sources? >>
Last Updated: May 14, 2024 2:53 PM
URL: https://libguides.furman.edu/special-collections/for-students

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

Internet Archive A non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more
Digital Public Library of America Many libraries and museums house primary sources. This website will search digital repositories of open-access content!
Primary Source Sets (DPLA) Primary source collections exploring topics in history, literature, and culture developed by educators — complete with teaching guides for class use.
Calisphere Historical image, text, and sound collections available online from libraries, museums, and archives across California.
California Digital Newspaper Collection The California Digital Newspaper Collection contains over 1,500,000 pages of significant historical California newspapers published from 1846-present.
Library of Congress Digital 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.
USC Libraries Digital Collections
HathiTrust Digital Library HathiTrust is a partnership of academic & research institutions, offering a collection of millions of titles digitized from libraries around the world.
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.

<< Previous: Scholarly vs. popular sources
Next: Finding statistics >>
Last Updated: Jun 26, 2024 3:01 PM
URL: https://researchguides.elac.edu/Research101

Reserve a study room
Library Account
Undergraduate Students
Graduate Students
Faculty & Staff

Identify Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Sources

Getting Started

What you'll find on this page

What are primary sources, where to find primary sources, how to use primary sources.

Secondary Sources
Tertiary Sources
Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Source Examples in Context
Need more help? This link opens in a new window

Call: 1-866-VCU-BOOK E-mail: [email protected] More contact information

On this page, you'll learn:

what primary sources are and what they look like in different disciplines

where to find primary sources

how to use primary sources

additional tips to help you identify whether a source is primary

Primary sources are materials that you explain, analyze, or interpret, and which get you as close as possible to the idea, event, or topic you are researching without analysis of the topic. They are the ground-level evidence for that topic.

Primary sources often look different depending on your discipline. For example:

In STEM & medical fields	In the humanities & social sciences
articles describing the research design and findings of original studies	journals, diaries & letters
	interviews
patents & blueprints	historical newspapers
patents & blueprints	works of art & literature
reports on original research	government documents
reports on original research	field research

Remember: any source can be a primary source, depending on your research question/topic.

To find primary sources, you can:

Search for a material type (diary, speech, etc.) + your topic (World War II, bicycle, etc.) using the search box at library.vcu.edu , or the one below:

For subject-specific assistance in finding primary sources, visit:

the Find Local News Resources guide
the Find Patents guide
the History guide
the Identify Primary Sources in the Sciences guide
VCU Libraries Special Collections & Archives

When your professor asks you to use primary sources in your writing, you are being asked to quote, paraphrase, and incorporate them in the following ways:

1) A source which may be secondary or tertiary in another context (like an encyclopedia) could be used as a primary source, depending on the research topic. Take this book:

Writing a paper on Homer Simpson's origin story? Then this book is a tertiary source, because you'll use it to get background information.
Writing a paper about male-centrism in cartoon encyclopedias? Then this book is a primary source, because you'll analyze it as an example.

2) Primary sources can be scholarly/peer-reviewed… or not.

Scenario: a student writing about civilian life during World War II uses a diary as a primary source. Diaries are not reviewed by other 'expert' diarists before publication, so they are not scholarly.
Scenario: a student writing about debunked research uses an article published in a prestigious journal connecting autism to vaccines as a primary source. This journal peer-reviews all of its articles, so this source is scholarly (if incorrect in this case).
<< Previous: Getting Started
Next: Secondary Sources >>
Last Updated: Oct 3, 2023 4:19 PM
URL: https://guides.library.vcu.edu/sources

How to Write a Literature Review: Primary and Secondary Sources

Writing a Literature Review in APA Format
Chicago/Turabian Citation Style
Primary and Secondary Sources
Basic Research Strategies
Evaluating Sources
Using the Library's Ebooks
Using the Library's Catalog
Copyright Information
Contact Information & Feedback

Primary versus Secondary Sources

Primary vs. secondary videos.

Primary, Secondary, & Tertiary Sources The content of research papers may come from different types of sources, such as:

Your own opinion and analysis
Primary sources
Secondary sources
Tertiary sources

It may not be necessary to include each of these types of sources in every paper you write, but your instructor may require you to include them. It is important to understand the characteristics of primary, secondary and tertiary sources–they each serve a different purpose throughout the research process, and can strengthen your assignment, too.

It can be difficult to figure out if a source is considered primary, secondary, or tertiary. We will explain the differences and provide examples of each in this tutorial. If you are still not sure if a source you would like to use is primary, secondary, or tertiary, ask a librarian or teacher.

What is a Primary Source? Primary sources are first-hand, authoritative accounts of an event, topic, or historical time period. They are typically produced at the time of the event by a person who experienced it, but can also be made later on in the form of personal memoirs or oral histories.

Anything that contains original information on a topic is considered a primary source. Usually, primary sources are the object discussed in your paper. For instance, if you are writing an analysis on Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, the book would be a primary source. But, just because a source is old does not mean it is a primary source.

Some examples of original, first-hand, authoritative accounts include:

Letters, diaries or journals (Personal thoughts)
Original photographs
First-hand newspaper reports
Speeches, autobiographies
Creative works like plays, paintings and songs
Research data and surveys

What is a Secondary Source? Secondary sources interpret or critique primary sources. They often include an analysis of the event that was discussed or featured in the primary source. They are second-hand accounts that interpret or draw conclusions from one or more primary sources.

Some examples of works that interpret or critique primary sources include:

Textbooks (May also be considered tertiary)
Essays or reviews
Articles that analyze or discuss ideas and events
Criticisms or commentaries

What is a Tertiary Source? Tertiary sources generally provide an overview or summary of a topic, and may contain both primary and secondary sources. The information is displayed as entirely factual, and does not include analysis or critique. Tertiary sources can also be collections of primary and secondary sources, such as databases, bibliographies and directories.

Some examples of sources that provide a summary or collection of a topic include:

Textbooks (May also be considered secondary)
Bibliographies or abstracts
Wikipedia articles
Encyclopedias

Using Primary, secondary and Tertiary Sources in Research Let’s say you are writing a research paper on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) of 1972, but you are unfamiliar with it. A good place to gather a general idea or understanding of the ERA would be a tertiary source, such as Wikipedia or the Encyclopedia Britannica. There, you can read a summary of events on its history, key people involved, and legislation.

To find more in-depth analysis on the Equal Rights Amendment, you consult a secondary source: the nonfiction book Why We Lost the ERA by Jane Mansbridge and a newspaper article from the 1970’s that discuss and review the legislation. These provide a more focused analysis of the Equal Rights Amendment that you can include as sources in your paper (make sure you cite them!). A primary source that could bolster your research would be a government document detailing the ERA legislation that initially passed in Congress, giving a first-hand account of the legislation that went through the House and Senate in 1972.

This video provides a great overview of primary and secondary sources: [ youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= PgfQC4d3pKc &w=420&h=315]

Source: http://content.easybib.com/students/research-guide/primary-secondary-tertiary-sources/

<< Previous: Guide to Writing a Research Paper
Next: Basic Research Strategies >>
Last Updated: Sep 25, 2023 2:24 PM
URL: https://tuskegee.libguides.com/c.php?g=692585

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: Jun 13, 2024 11:01 AM
URL: https://libguides.framingham.edu/scienceliterature

Library Socials

[email protected] Phone: (508) 626-4650 [email protected] Phone: (508) 626-4654

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Student Life

Research & Write a Paper

Primary/Secondary Sources

What is a Primary Source?

Primary sources offer an inside view of a particular event. They can be original records or objects created by participants and observers during the time the event occurred or shortly thereafter.

General Examples of Primary Sources

Original documents : autobiographies, diaries, e-mail, interviews, letters, minutes, news film footage, official records, photographs, raw research data, speeches, personal narratives, sources, memoirs, letters, dispatches, interviews, pamphlets, diaries, speeches, translations
Creative works : art, drama, films, music, novels, poetry
Relics or artifacts : buildings, clothing, DNA, furniture, jewelry, pottery

What is a secondary source?

Secondary sources are less easily defined than primary sources. Generally, they are accounts written after the fact with the benefit of hindsight. They are interpretations and evaluations of primary sources. Secondary sources are not evidence, but rather commentary on and discussion of evidence.

Examples of Secondary Sources

Bibliographies
Biographical works
Commentaries, criticisms
Dictionaries, Encyclopedias
Journal articles (depending on the disciple can be primary)
Magazine and newspaper articles (this distinction varies by discipline)
Monographs, other than fiction and autobiograph
Textbooks (also considered tertiary)
Web site (also considered primary).

Primary RESEARCH

Primary Research refers to the process of going out and collecting data yourself.

You may collect data using:

Observations

Parts of this guide will help you with this process.

<< Previous: Books
Next: Human Participants >>
Getting Started
Choosing a Topic
Writing a Research Question
I nter l ibrary L oan (ILL)
Human Participants
Literature Review
Citing your sources
Refining your Writing
Final Checklist
Internet Resources
Helpful Books

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: Jun 18, 2024 10:45 AM
URL: https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide

Academic Writing

Getting Started
Introductions
Thesis Statements
Organization
Conclusions

Using Secondary Sources

Global vs. Local Revision
Suggestions for Revision
Why is Grammar Important?
Suggestions for Further Reading
Academic Success Center This link opens in a new window
Citing Sources This link opens in a new window

Associate Professor-Librarian

What are Primary and Secondary Sources?
Using Summary
Make Your Sources Speak

What Are Primary and Secondary Sources?

A primary source is a source that you are analyzing as the writer. In other words, there is no mediary between you and the text; you are the one doing the analysis.

Some examples of primary sources:

A secondary source , then, is a source that has also done analysis of the same (or a similar) topic. You will then use this source to discuss how it relates to your argument about the primary source. A secondary source is a mediary between you and the primary source. Secondary sources can also help your credibility as a writer; when you use them in your writing, it shows that you have done research on the topic, and can enter into the conversation on the topic with other writers.

Some examples of secondary sources:

Summary: When and How Do I Use It?

One of the important distinctions to make when coming to terms with a text is knowing when to summarize it, when to paraphrase it, and when to quote it. Here’s what Joseph Harris, author of the textbook Rewriting: How to Do Things with Texts , has to say:

“Summarize when what you have to say about a text is routine and quote when it is more contentious” (21).

In other words, quote when you need to rely on the voice of the writer, when you need the language of the text to help you make a point. Otherwise, try to use paraphrase or summary, so that your ideas are still the main focus.

Summarizing a text can distract your reader from your argument, especially if you rely on lengthy summaries to capture a source in a nutshell. However, it can also prove an effective rhetorical tool: you just need to know when to use it.

You can use summary in the following ways:

- When the source offers important background about your ideas

- When you need to provide your readers with an overview of a source’s entire argument before analyzing certain ideas from it

- When the source either supports your thesis, or when it offers a position you want to argue against or analyze more in-depth

Here is a sample summary. What do you notice about it?

Ryuko Kubota argues in “Ideologies of English in Japan” that the debate over English’s place in the Japanese language disappeared with the militaristic rule of the 1930s and 1940s, when Japan rejected and/or suppressed the learning of English and other languages in favor of heavy nationalism. However, he adds that the debate returned during America’s occupation of Japan and has periodically been a topic for debate since. Japanese politicians have always seen English as an important tool for Japan’s success as an industrial nation on a global scale. However, instead of molding itself to the English of the Western world, Japan has integrated English to fit its ideologies, to serve its own needs; indeed, to become part of the Japanese language.

1. This is a succinct summary; the entire summary is only three sentences.

2. The final sentence of the paragraph is the writer's attempt to make a connection between the article and her own ideas for her paper. This is an important step in using summary; it's important to always show the reader how/why the summary is important/relevant.

Paraphrasing: When/How/Why Should I Do It?

Paraphrasing gives you the room to condense a text’s ideas into your own words. You can use this, for example, to rewrite a definition, to emphasize important points, or to clarify ideas that might be hard for the reader to understand if you quote the original text.

When you paraphrase, remember that you still need to cite the source in-text!

Depending on your field and the style guide your field follows, you may be required to paraphrase more than quote or summarize. Make sure you are familiar with the writing conventions for your field. APA, for example, draws much more on paraphrase than MLA.

Example of a Paraphrase

Let’s look at an example of a paraphrase. Note that here the author of this paraphrase has used the author’s name first as an attributive tag – she is letting the reader know who wrote this. She then goes on to put the writer’s ideas into her own words, but acknowledges directly where the ideas came from by using the in-text citation at the end of the second sentence.

- This is a paraphrase for MLA; in APA, the year would come after Honna's name in parentheses.

In source-based or synthesis writing, we try to not only express our ideas using our own voice, but to also express our ideas through the voices of those we are citing. In their book Wriiting Analytically , Rosenwasser and Stephen offer six strategies to use in researched writing to make our sources speak, to make them come alive.

Here are some typical problems we encounter when using primary and secondary sources:

- Leaving quotations and paraphrases to speak for themselves

- Not differentiating your own voice from the voices of your sources (ventriloquizing)

- Resorting to overly agreeing and disagreeing as your only means of responding to a source (other than summary)

Primary and secondary sources are nothing to fear. Many times we either leave sources to speak for themselves or ignore them altogether because we are afraid of losing our own voices. These strategies, listed below, are designed to help us know when and how to use quotes, and how not to become lost in the process.

Strategy 1: Make Your Sources Speak

v Quote, paraphrase, or summarize in order to analyze , as opposed to in place of analyzing. Don’t assume that the meaning of your source material is self-evident. Instead, explain to your readers what the quote, paraphrase, or summary means. For example, what aspects do you find interesting or strange? And relate these aspects to your overall thesis. Your focus here in analysis should be on how the source leads you to your conclusion – beware of generalizing or putting two quotes next to each other without explaining the connection.

Using Strategy #1 : How are you using your sources? Are you taking the time to develop points from your sources, or are you just using evidence – and is it clear why you are using it? Highlight/bracket analysis, mark in a different color where analysis is not present immediately following source.

Strategy 2: Use Your Sources to Ask Questions, Not Just to Provide Answers

v Use your selections from your sources as a means to raise issues and questions; avoid the temptation to use selections that provide answers without any commentary or further elaboration. If you feel stuck with this, consider the source alongside other contexts (other sources, for example) and compare and contrast them to see if there are aspects of your topic that your source does not adequately address.

Using Strategy #2: Again, ask: how are you using your sources as question generators? What how/why questions do your sources generate? Look over the evidence you’ve used, and jot down the how/why questions you think your evidence creates. Next, go through your paper. Do you see yourself addressing these questions? Mark your analysis appropriately so you can see how you’re addressing these questions (or not).

Strategy 3: Put Your Sources in Conversation with One Another

v This is an extension of strategy 2. Rather than limiting yourself to the only conversationalist with each source, aim for conversation among them. Although it is not wrong to agree or disagree with your sources, it is wrong to see these as your only possible moves. You should also understand that although it is sometimes useful and perhaps even necessary to agree or disagree, these judgments should 1) always be qualified and 2) occur only in certain contexts . Instead of looking just at how you agree or disagree, try to imagine what these critics might say to one another. Looking at sources in this way may prove useful as you explore your topics further in depth.

Using Strategy #3:

This is a way for your sources to address one another directly, while also giving you more room to expand on your ideas through a slightly different form of analysis. For example: what might the person you interviewed think about the secondary sources you found? Would they agree with the claims you see your sources making, or would they disagree? Why – what about their interview suggests this? Make a list of possible dialogues your sources could have with one another.

Strategy 4: Find Your Own Role in the Conversation

v Even though it’s important to not be the only person in the essay agreeing and disagreeing with the texts, it is important that you establish what you think and feel about each source. After all, something compelled you to choose it, right? In general, you have two options when you are in agreement with a source. You can apply it in another context to qualify or expand its implications, or you can seek out other perspectives in order to break the hold it has on you. In the first option, to do this, instead of focusing on the most important point, choose a lesser yet equally interesting point and work on developing that idea to see if it holds relevance to your topic. The second option can also hold new perspectives if you allow yourself to be open to the possibilities of other perspectives that may or may not agree with your original source.

Using Strategy #4: While it’s important that you create a distinct voice for all the different kinds of sources you’ve used (interview, fieldwork, scholarly journals/books, etc.), it’s perhaps even more important that you have a clear role in this conversation that is your research essay. Look over your paper: is it clear what you think? Is it clear what is your voice, and what are the ideas/opinions of your sources? (Hint: your voice should still be clear in the midst of your sources, if you are taking the time to analyze them and develop your analysis as fully as possible.) Highlight places where you voice – what you think – is clear. Highlight in a different color places where your voice is unclear, or needs to be expressed more fully.

Strategy 5: Supply Ongoing Analysis of Sources (Don’t Wait Until the End)

v Instead of summarizing everything first and then leaving your analysis until the end, analyze as you quote or paraphrase a source . This will help yield good conversation, by integrating your analysis of your sources into your presentation of them.

Using Strateg y #5:

Are your sources presented throughout the paper with careful analysis attending to each one? Or are you presenting all your sources first, and analyzing them later? Look through your paper, and mark places where you see yourself not analyzing your sources as you go. Also: are there places where you see too much analysis, and not enough evidence? Be sure to mark those places as well.

Strategy 6: Attend Carefully to the Language of Your Sources by Quoting or Paraphrasing Them

v Rather than generalizing broadly about the ideas in your sources, you should spell out what you think is significant about their key words. Quote sources if the actual language they use is important to your point; this practice will help you to present the view of your source fairly and accurately. Your analysis will also benefit from the way the source represents its position (which may or may not be your position) with carefully chosen words and phrases. Take advantage of this, and use the exact language to discuss the relevance (or not) of the quote to the issue you’re using it for.

Using Strategy #6: When paraphrasing or quoting a source, it’s important that you use the language of the source to help explain it – it keeps the reader in the moment with you, and helps him/her understand the key terms of that source – why you chose, why these words are so important, etc. Look over your evidence, both quoted and paraphrased: are you using the language of the quote to help explain it? Or is your analysis removed from the “moment of the source” (i.e. the language which the source uses to illustrate its point)? Mark places where you think it’s important to use the language of the source to help analyze and develop the evidence more completely.

Strategies for Using Quotes
Floating Quotations
How to Integrate Quotations

Attributed Quotations

Integrated Quotations

Strategies for Using Quotations In-Text

Acknowledge sources in your text, not just in citations:

“According to Lewis” or “Whitney argues.”

Use a set-up phrase, and splice the most important part of quotations in with your own words:

According to Paul McCartney, “All you need is love.”

Or phrase it with a set-up:

Patrick Henry’s famous phrase is one of the first American schoolchildren memorize:

“Give me liberty, or give me death.”

Anytime you use a quote, cite your source after the quotation:

Maxine Greene might attribute this resistance to “vaguely perceived expectations; they

allow themselves to be programmed by organizations and official schedules or forms” (43).

Use ellipses to shorten quotations:

“The album ‘OK Computer’ …pictured the onslaught of the information age and a young

person’s panicky embrace of it” (Ross 85) .

Use square brackets to alter or add information within a quotation:

Popular music has always “[challenged] the mores of the older generation,” according to

Nick Hornby.

Acc ording to Janet Gardner in her book Writing About Literature , there are three ways that we tend to use quotes:

Gardner advocates that we stay away from “floating quotations,” use at least an “attributed quotation,” and use “integrated quotations” as much as possible.

You will recognize a floating quotation when it looks as though the writer has simply lifted the passage from the original text, put quotations around it, and (maybe) identified the source.

Doing this can create confusion for the reader, who is left to guess the context and the reason for the quote.

This type of quoting reads awkward and choppy because there is no transition between your words and the language of the text you are quoting.

Example of a Floating Quotation; text taken from All She was Worth , by Miyuki Miyabe

Both Honma and Kyoko were rejected and looked down upon by Jun and Chizuko’s family when entering into marriage with their respective partners. “About her cousin – Jun’s father – and his family: what snobs they were, with fixed ideas on education and jobs” ( Miyabe 17).This passage shows that Honma and Kyoko were both being judged by their future in-laws by superficial stipulations.

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How it works

Primary vs Secondary Research – A Guide with Examples

Published by Alvin Nicolas at August 16th, 2021 , Revised On August 29, 2023

Introduction

Primary research or secondary research? How do you decide which is best for your dissertation paper?

As researchers, we need to be aware of the pros and cons of the two types of research methods to make sure their selected research method is the most appropriate, taking into account the topic of investigation .

The success of any dissertation paper largely depends on choosing the correct research design . Before you can decide whether you must base your research strategy on primary or secondary research; it is important to understand the difference between primary resources and secondary resources.

What is the Difference between Primary Sources and Secondary Sources?

What are primary sources.

According to UCL libraries, primary sources are articles, images, or documents that provide direct evidence or first-hand testimony about any given research topic.

Is it important that we have a clear understanding of the information resulting from actions under investigation ? Primary sources allow us to get close to those events to recognise their analysis and interpretation in scientific and academic communities.

Examples of Primary Sources

Classic examples of primary sources include;

Original documents are prepared by the researcher investigating any given topic of research.
Reporters witnessing an event and reporting news.
Conducting surveys to collect data , such as primary elections and population census.
Interviews , speeches, letters, and diaries – what the participants wrote or said during data collection.
Audio, video, and image files were created to capture an event

What are Secondary Sources?

However, when the researcher wishes to analyse and understand information coming out of events or actions that have already occurred, their work is regarded as a secondary source.

In essence, no secondary source can be created without using primary sources. The same information source or evidence can be considered either primary or secondary, depending on who is presenting the information and where the information is presented.

Examples of Secondary Sources

Some examples of secondary sources are;

Documentaries (Even though the images, videos, and audio are seen as primary sources by the developer of the documentary)
Articles, publications, journals, and research documents are created by those not directly involved in the research.
Dissertations , thesis, and essays .
Critical reviews.
Books presented as evidence.

Need help with getting started with your dissertation paper? Here is a comprehensive article on “ How to write a dissertation – Step by step guide “.

What Type of Research you Should Base your Dissertation on – Primary or Secondary?

Below you will find detailed guidelines to help you make an informed decision if you have been thinking of the question “Should I use primary or secondary research in my dissertation”.

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Primary Research

Primary research includes an exhaustive analysis of data to answer research questions that are specific and exploratory in nature.

Primary research methods with examples include the use of various primary research tools such as interviews, research surveys , numerical data, observations, audio, video, and images to collect data directly rather than using existing literature.

Business organisations throughout the world have their employees or an external research agency conduct primary research on their behalf to address certain issues. On the other hand, undergraduate and postgraduate students conduct primary research as part of their dissertation projects to fill an obvious research gap in their respective fields of study.

As indicated above, primary data can be collected in a number of ways, and so we have also conducted in-depth research on the most common yet independent primary data collection techniques .

Sampling in Primary Research

When conducting primary research, it is vitally important to pay attention to the chosen sampling method which can be described as “ a specific principle used to select members of the population to participate in the research ”.

Oftentimes, the researcher might not be able to directly work with the targeted population because of its large size, and so it becomes indispensable to employ statistical sampling techniques where the researchers have no choice but to draw conclusions based on responses collected from the representative population.

The process of sampling in primary data collection includes the following five steps;

Identifying the target population.
Selecting an appropriate sampling frame.
Determining the sampling size.
Choosing a sampling method .
Practical application of the selected sampling technique.

The researcher can gather responses when conducting primary research, but nonverbal communication and gestures play a considerable role. They help the researcher identify the various hidden elements which cannot be identified when conducting the secondary research.

How to use Social Media Networks for Dissertation Research

Reasons Why you Should Use Primary Research

As stated previously, the most prominent advantage of primary research over secondary research is that the researcher is able to directly collect the data from the respondents which makes the data more authentic and reliable.
Primary research has room for customisation based on the personal requirements and/or limitations of the researcher.
Primary research allows for a comprehensive analysis of the subject matter to address the problem at hand .
The researcher will have the luxury to decide how to collect and use the data, which means that they will be able to make use of the data in whatever way deemed fit to them to gain meaningful insights.
The results obtained from primary research are recognised as credible throughout academic and scientific communities.

Reasons Why you Should not Use Primary Research

If you are considering primary research for your dissertation , you need to be aware of the high costs involved in the process of gathering primary data. Undergraduate and Masters’ students often do not have the financial resources to fund their own research work. Ph.D. students, on the other hand, are awarded a very limited research budget to work with. Thus, if you are on a low or limited budget, conducting primary research might not be the most suitable option.
Primary research can be extremely time-consuming. Getting your target population to participate in online surveys and face-to-face or telephonic interviews requires patience and a lot of time. This is especially important for undergraduate and Masters’ students who are required to complete and submit their work within a certain timeframe.
Primary research is well recognised only when it makes use of several methods of data collection . Having just one primary research method will undermine your research. Using more than one method of data collection will mean that you need more time and financial resources.
There might be participants who wouldn’t be willing to disclose their information, thus this aspect is crucial and should be looked into carefully.

One important aspect of primary research that researchers should look into is research ethics. Keeping participants’ information confidential is a research responsibility that should never be overlooked.

How to Approach a Company for your Primary Study

What data collection method best suits your research?

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Secondary Research

Secondary research or desk-based research is the second type of research you could base your research methodology in a dissertation on. This type of research reviews and analyses existing research studies to improve the overall authenticity of the research.

Secondary research methods include the use of secondary sources of information including journal articles, published reports, public libraries, books, data available on the internet, government publications, and results from primary research studies conducted by other researchers in the past.

Unlike primary research, secondary research is cost-effective and less time-consuming simply because it uses existing literature and doesn’t require the researcher to spend time and financial resources to collect first-hand data.

Not all researchers and/or business organisations are able to afford a significant amount of money towards research, and that’s one of the reasons this type of research is the most popular in universities and organisations.

The Steps for Conducting Secondary Research

Secondary research involves the following five steps;

Establishing the topic of research and setting up the research questions to be answered or the research hypothesis to be tested.
Identifying authentic and reliable sources of information.
Gather data relevant to the topic of research from various secondary sources such as books, journal articles, government publications, commercial sector reports.
Combining the data in a suitable format so you can gain meaningful insights.
Analysing the data to find a solution to a problem in hand

Reasons Why you Should Use Secondary Research

Secondary sources are readily available with researchers facing little to no difficulty in accessing secondary data. Unlike primary data that involves a lengthy and complex process, secondary data can be collected by the researcher through a number of existing sources without having to leave the comfort of the desk.
Secondary research is a simple process, and therefore the cost associated with it is almost negligible.

Reasons Why you Should Not Use Secondary Research

Finding authentic and credible sources of secondary data is nothing less than a challenge. The internet these days is full of fake information, so it is important to exercise precaution when selecting and evaluating the available information.
Secondary sources may not provide accurate and/or up-to-date numbers, so your research could be diluted if you are not including accurate statistics from recent timelines.
Secondary research, in essence, is dependent on primary research and stems its findings from sets of primary data. The reliability of secondary research will, to a certain degree, depends on the quality of primary data used.

If you aren’t sure about the correct method of research for your dissertation paper, you should get help from an expert who can guide on whether you should use Primary or Secondary Research for your dissertation paper.

The Steps Involved in Writing a Dissertation

Key Differences between Primary and Secondary Research

Primary Research	Secondary Research
Research is conducted first hand to obtain data. Research “own” the data collected.	Research is based on data collected from previous researches.
Primary research is based on raw data.	Secondary research is based on tried and tested data which is previously analysed and filtered.
The data collected fits the needs of a researcher, it is customised. Data is collected based on the absolute needs of organisations or businesses.	Data may or may not be according to the requirement of a researcher.
Researcher is deeply involved in research to collect data in primary research.	As opposed to primary research, secondary research is fast and easy. It aims at gaining a broader understanding of subject matter.
Primary research is an expensive process and consumes a lot of time to collect and analyse data.	Secondary research is a quick process as data is already available. Researcher should know where to explore to get most appropriate data.

Should I Use Primary or Secondary Research for my Dissertation Paper? – Conclusion

When choosing between primary and secondary research, you should always take into consideration the advantages and disadvantages of both types of research so you make an informed decision.

The best way to select the correct research strategy for your dissertation is to look into your research topic, research questions , aim and objectives – and of course the available time and financial resources.

Discussion pertaining to the two research techniques clearly indicates that primary research should be chosen when a specific topic, a case, organisation, etc. is to be researched about and the researcher has access to some financial resources.

Whereas secondary research should be considered when the research is general in nature and can be answered by analysing past researches and published data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between primary vs secondary research.

Primary research involves collecting firsthand data from sources like surveys or interviews. Secondary research involves analyzing existing data, such as articles or reports. Primary is original data gathering, while secondary relies on existing information.

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.

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Indigenous Studies

Background Sources
Scholarly Articles & Databases

Primary Sources

Subcollections in primary source databases, digital collections, modern news sources, leni-lenape primary sources: colonial narratives, leni-lenape primary sources: oral histories.

Research and Writing Resources
Lenni-Lenape Resources

In humanities disciplines like history and literature, a primary source is an item produced from the time you are researching (e.g., photographs, a letters, newspaper articles, government documents). Looking at actual sources from a specific time helps you get a firsthand account of what was happening then.

In the sciences and social sciences, research data and original research studies are also considered primary sources.

Secondary sources provide analysis of primary sources (e.g., scholarly articles and books).

(Rowan login required)

History Vault: American Indians and the American West, 1809-1971) (Primary Sources - Proquest) Collections from the U.S. National Archives and the Chicago History Museum, as well as first-hand accounts on Indian Wars and westward migration
Indian Claims Insight (Primary Sources - Proquest) Legal histories and documents related to Indian claims and compiled histories for Indian Nation/Tribes
Native Americans in History: Part I: Newspaper, 1728-1922 (Accessible Archives)
Native Americans in History: Part II: Books, 1663-1928 (Accessible Archives)
North American Indian Thought and Culture (Primary Sources - Proquest) Primary source materials representing historical moments as experienced by those who lived through them
North American Indian Drama (Primary Sources - Proquest) Plays by 48 American Indian and First Nation playwrights from the twentieth century. Over half of these works are rare or previously unpublished.
Indigenous Newspapers in North America (AM Explorer) Two centuries of indigenous print journalism from the US and Canada
Indigenous Histories and Cultures in North America(AM Explorer) Primary source materials dating from the earliest contact with European settlers to the mid-twentieth century
Empire Online This link opens in a new window Primary source materials in world history. more... less... This resource brings together manuscript, printed and visual primary source materials for the study of 'Empire' and its theories, practices and consequences. The materials span across the last five centuries and are accompanied by a host of secondary learning resources including scholarly essays, maps and an interactive chronology.
Ethnic NewsWatch This link opens in a new window News, magazine, and journal articles from the ethnic, minority and native press. more... less... An interdisciplinary, bilingual (English and Spanish) comprehensive full text database of the newspapers, magazines and journals of the ethnic, minority and native press. Coverage begins in 1990.
HeinOnline This link opens in a new window Comprehensive coverage of more than 2,000 journals and the Congressional Record. more... less... Complete coverage of the U.S. Reports back to 1754, constitutions for every country in the world, classic books from the 18th & 19th centuries, all United States Treaties, the Federal Register and CFR from inception.
American Indians of the Pacific Northwest Collection Photographs, documents, and maps about the Northwest Coast and Plateau Indian cultures and related essays by anthropologists, histories, and teachers. From the University of Washington.
Archives Library Information Center: Native Americans (National Archives) Includes digital collections, genealogical resources, laws and treaties, and more.
Association on American Indian Affairs Records, 1851-2016 (mostly 1922-1995) Physical and digitized materials available from Princeton University. Select "Only show materials containing online content" to limit to digitized materials.
Chief George Manuel Memorial Indigenous Library Contains documents, reports, and publications from indigenous nations in North America and the world. Established in 1979 as a document repository, in response to a resolution of the Conference of Tribal Governments.
Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers - Indians of North America A project of the National Endowmen for the Humanities and the Library of Congress.
Duke Collection of American Indian Oral History Typescripts of interviews from 1967-1972 with Native Americans in Oklahoma
Early Americas Digital Archive Texts written in or about the Americas from 1492 to 1820
First Nations Collection, Southern Oregon Digital Archives Documents, books, and artilces on the indigenous people of the region.
Images of North Americans Illustrations from rare books, magazines, newspapers, an ephemera; photographs; and other visual materials. Materials reflect European interpretations of Native Americans. From the University of California - Berkeley.
Indigenous Studies Portal Research Tool (University of Saskatchewan) A database of full text primary and secondary sources focused primarily on Indigenous peoples of Canada and secondarily on North American materials.
Library of Congress "American Indians" subject search
Library of Congress: "Native Americans" subject search
Native American and Indigenous History and Culture, Smithsonian Institute Selected collections.
Native American Heritage Month: Exhilbitions and Collections Featured archival materials from the Library of Congress, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Smithsonian Institute, and more.
Native Voices: Native Peoples' Concepts of Health and Illness Includes exhibition materials, inteviews, and an historical timeline. From the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Oklahoma State University Library Digital Collections Many of OSU's digital collections concentrate on Native American history. Search the collections using terms like 'Native American.' (Note: Many of the Lenape people indigenous to New Jersey relocated to Oklahoma.)
The Trail of Tears through Arkansas Eyewitness accounts, letters, removal claim documents, and background information about the Trail of Tears through Arkansas. From the University of Arkansas - Little Rock.
Treaties between the United States and Native Americans (The Avalon Project) From Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.
Tribal Treaties Database (Oklahoma State Univeristy Libraries) Includes agreements between tribal nations and the United States (1778-1886). A project of Oklahoma State University Library, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Department of the Interior.
Tribal Writers Digital Library (Sequoyah National Research Center) Features out-of-print literary works of American Indians, Alaska natives, and First Nations people of Canada
Indian Country Today An independent news source and public media broadcast serving Indigenous communities
Indian Country (Al Jazeera)
Native News Online

Geographia Americae : with an account of the Delaware Indians : based on surveys and notes made in 1654-1656 by Peter Lindestrom Call Number: Special Collections F167 .L73 Publication Date: 1925

Oral histories are important sources of history and narrative in many Native American cultures and traditions. These examples bring to the forefront Indigenous perspectives and traditions.

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IMAGES

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15 Secondary Research Examples (2024)
Primary & Secondary Sources
27 Real Primary Research Examples (2024)
What are Primary Sources?
When to use primary sources and secondary sources

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Primary vs. Secondary Sources
When you do research, you have to gather information and evidence from a variety of sources. Primary sources provide raw information and first-hand evidence. Examples include interview transcripts, statistical data, and works of art. Primary research gives you direct access to the subject of your research. Secondary sources provide second-hand ...
Primary & Secondary Sources
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 ...
Primary vs. Secondary Sources
A primary source gives you direct access to the subject of your research. Secondary sources provide second-hand information and commentary from other researchers. Examples include journal articles, reviews, and academic books. A secondary source describes, interprets, or synthesises primary sources. Primary sources are more credible as evidence ...
Understanding Primary and Secondary Sources
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. ... Use secondary sources to recreate, analyze, critique, and/or report on a particular topic based on review of a single or a ...
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
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 ...
Primary vs. Secondary
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.
LibGuides: Research Basics: Primary vs. Secondary Sources
The most common type of primary source used at Illinois Tech is the research paper written by the researcher(s) who actually carried out the work. These papers are typically published as articles in peer-reviewed journals but could also be in the form of a thesis or dissertation, research report, case study, clinical trial, etc.
Primary Sources
Each academic discipline creates and uses primary and secondary sources differently. The definition of a primary source only makes sense in the context of a specific discipline or field of inquiry. In the humanities and the arts, a primary document might be an original creative work.
Primary vs. Secondary Sources
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 ...
Primary Research
Primary research is any research that you conduct yourself. It can be as simple as a 2-question survey, or as in-depth as a years-long longitudinal study. The only key is that data must be collected firsthand by you. Primary research is often used to supplement or strengthen existing secondary research.
Understanding Research Sources
Your research paper is a secondary source because you're analyzing and interpreting other sources. ... It repackages important ideas and information from other primary and secondary sources; Some examples of tertiary sources include: Directories of local, state, and national organizations;
I have to write a research paper using primary sources. Where do I
If you've never written a research paper using primary sources, it is important to understand that the process is different from using only secondary sources. Many students discover that finding and gaining access to primary source documents can be difficult. The Library website has a valuable guide to locating primary source documents.
Primary vs. secondary sources
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)
Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sources
To use the "Read aloud" function, click the Primary & Secondary Sources Infographic link to open in Adobe, click the three dots in upper right corner, choose Read aloud. Tertiary Sources These are sources that index, abstract, organize, compile, or digest other sources.
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.
Research Guides: Identify Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Sources: Primary
When your professor asks you to use primary sources in your writing, you are being asked to quote, paraphrase, and incorporate them in the following ways: As examples to support your argument Click 'more' below for language you can use when incorporating primary sources into your writing as examples to support your argument.
Primary and Secondary Sources
Using Primary, secondary and Tertiary Sources in Research Let's say you are writing a research paper on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) of 1972, but you are unfamiliar with it. A good place to gather a general idea or understanding of the ERA would be a tertiary source, such as Wikipedia or the Encyclopedia Britannica. ...
Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources
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.
Primary/Secondary Sources
What is a secondary source? Secondary sources are less easily defined than primary sources. Generally, they are accounts written after the fact with the benefit of hindsight. They are interpretations and evaluations of primary sources. Secondary sources are not evidence, but rather commentary on and discussion of evidence.
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: Questions new researchers ask most
While primary sources provide original direct evidence and firsthand accounts, they are also subject to bias and time-related damage. Secondary sources can provide you greater context and understanding, because they synthesize multiple primary sources. So, you typically need to use a mix of primary and secondary sources in your research.
Research Guides: Academic Writing: Using Secondary Sources
A secondary source, then, is a source that has also done analysis of the same (or a similar) topic. You will then use this source to discuss how it relates to your argument about the primary source. A secondary source is a mediary between you and the primary source. Secondary sources can also help your credibility as a writer; when you use them ...
Primary vs Secondary Research
Primary Research. Primary research includes an exhaustive analysis of data to answer research questions that are specific and exploratory in nature. Primary research methods with examples include the use of various primary research tools such as interviews, research surveys, numerical data, observations, audio, video, and images to collect data directly rather than using existing literature.
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.
Research Guides: Indigenous Studies: Primary Sources
Looking at actual sources from a specific time helps you get a firsthand account of what was happening then. In the sciences and social sciences, research data and original research studies are also considered primary sources. Secondary sources provide analysis of primary sources (e.g., scholarly articles and books).
News & Publications
Stay up-to-date with the AHA View All News The American Historical Review is the flagship journal of the AHA and the journal of record for the historical discipline in the United States, bringing together scholarship from every major field of historical study. Learn More Perspectives on History is the newsmagazine…

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