Primary vs. Secondary Sources
Primary sources are sources that were created during the time that is discussed. An example is a newspaper article that came out on D-Day about D-Day.
A secondary source is a source that is commenting on an event or occurrence from the past. An example is a biography of George Washington.
| Primary | Secondary | Tertiary |
|---|---|---|
| A primary source is the original item produced during that time. | A secondary source is considered the commentary on an event, place, person or thing. | A tertiary source is a reference source that includes background or basic information such as: who, what, where, when |
| Examples: Letters, Photographs, Speeches, Documents, Diaries, Artifacts, Maps, Newspapers |
Examples: Articles, Essays, Textbooks, Criticisms |
Examples: Encyclopedias, Almanacs, Timelines, Bibliographies, Directories, Fact books, etc. (Note: Many of these are also considered secondary sources.) |
| Best Library Resource: Museum websites, University archives |
Best Library Resource: NC LIVE, Specific databases depending on the topic |
Best Library Resource: Credo Reference, Britannica Encyclopedia, Oxford English Dictionary, Reference books in the library, Biography Databases |
In both science and history, a "primary source" refers to original, firsthand accounts of an event or research, meaning it is the raw data or information created directly by the person or group involved, without interpretation from others; however, in science, a primary source is typically a published research paper detailing an experiment or study, while in history, a primary source could be a diary entry, letter, photograph, or other document created at the time of the event.
In the sciences, primary sources are documents that provide full description of the original research. For example, a primary source would be a journal article where scientists describe their research on the human immune system. A secondary source would be an article commenting or analyzing the scientists' research on the human immune system (University of Albany Libraries).