What is the difference between primary and secondary sources?
Answer
Primary Sources
Primary sources are original items that provide a first-hand account of an event. They provide direct evidence of an event through those who were present during the time. Examples of primary sources include:
- diaries, and letters
- original documents such as birth certificates, trial transcripts, and obituaries
- memoirs, autobiographies, manuscripts
- interviews, speeches, oral histories
- case law, legislation, constitutions, declarations, and similar legal and governing documents
- government documents, statistical data, and original research reports
- a journal article reporting NEW research or findings
- original works of art, music, or literature
- newspaper articles from the time period of an event, newspaper advertisements and reportage and editorial/opinion pieces
Check out our what counts as a primary source? infographic.
Secondary Sources
Secondary sources are resources that provide indirect information about an event. They provide second-hand research and evaluations from researchers. Secondary sources include:
- journal articles that comment on or analyze research
- textbooks
- dictionaries and encyclopedias
- books that interpret, analyze
- political summaries or commentary
- biographies
- dissertations
- newspaper editorial/opinion pieces
- criticism of literature, art works or music
Check out our what counts as a secondary source? infographic.
Source Examples
Primary Source: a book about Nelson Mandela written by Nelson Mandela
Secondary Source: A book about Nelson Mandela written by a South African apartheid researcher
Primary Source: The Roe v. Wade court documents
Secondary Source: An Academic Journal article about the Roe v. Wade verdict
Primary Source: James Madison's personal notes about the writing of the US Constitution
Secondary Source: An eBook about the writing of the Constitution
Additional Information
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