Primary Sources are documents or records containing firsthand information or original data on a topic or event.
Secondary sources are one step removed from the primary original source. The author is reexamining, interpreting and forming conclusions based on the information that is conveyed in the primary source.
Is it, or isn't it?
Figuring out whether something is a primary or secondary source can be tricky. Sometimes it's not clear cut.
|
Discipline |
Primary Source |
Secondary Source |
|
History |
Slave diary |
Book about the underground railroad |
|
Art |
Original artwork created by an artist |
Article critiquing the piece of art |
|
Literature |
Original poem written by a poet |
Essay on a particular genre of poetry |
|
Political Science |
Treaty between two governments |
Essay on Native American land rights in the US |
|
Science or Social Sciences |
Report of an original experiment |
Review of several studies on the same topic |
|
Theatre |
Videotape of a performance |
Biography of a playwright |
Medieval Italy
Music in the USA: A Documentary Companion
Salvaged Pages
Women of the Afghan War
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