PRIMARY & SECONDARY SOURCES

PRIMARY SOURCES
SECONDARY SOURCES
Primary sources give you direct access to the subject that you're researching or learning about. They contain raw information. They can provide you with a first-hand account of an event or time-period, represent original thinking and give you new information. They're usually the centre of a piece of research.

The type of primary source used depends on the topic of the research. If the topic is new and current, data from interviews and experiments you do yourself can be used as a primary resource. If it's historical, you would have to gather it from people directly involved with the topic using documents and texts.
​
Examples of primary sources include:
  • diaries, correspondences, and ship logs;
  • creative works, such as art, film or literature;
  • original documents, such as a birth certificate;
  • biographies and autobiographies;
  • interviews, speeches and oral histories;
  • government data;
  • statistics;
  • research reports;
  • newspaper reports, editorial/opinion pieces.
Secondary sources provide second-hand information and often offer explanations for primary sources. They analyse, interpret and restate information from primary sources. They're generally considered to be persuasive. They use commentary, evaluation and opinions to persuade the reader of the writer's argument.
​
Examples of secondary sources include:
  • journal articles commenting or analysing research;
  • textbooks;
  • dictionaries and encyclopedias;
  • books which interpret and analyse, such as academic books;
  • biographies;
  • dissertations;
  • reviews, essays on and criticisms of creative works, such as art, literature and music;
  • newspaper editorial/opinion pieces.
What are primary sources used for?
What are secondary sources used for?
Primary sources are the foundations of original research. They help to:
  • make new discoveries;
  • provide evidence for your argument;
  • and give credible information about the topic.
Secondary sources help to provide background information or an overview of a topic. They show how other researchers have approached, interpreted and analysed the topic. They help to:
  • learn background information about the topic;
  • support your arguments and ideas;
  • contrast your arguments or ideas;
  • find information you can't access directly.
Source: Twinkl