What does primary vs. secondary vs. tertiary mean?The distinction between primary, secondary and tertiary sources hinges on how far from the original event or phenomenon the information source is created. Is it first-hand knowledge? A second-hand interpretation? A third-hand synthesis and summary of what is known? Show
Why is this important? Because different kinds of research call for using primary, secondary, and tertiary sources in different ways. For example, a research paper usually requires a combination of primary and secondary sources. Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary SourcesThe video below describes in greater detail more about the differences between primary, secondary and tertiary sources, and how each is used in research. Examples of Primary SourcesThis chart offers some examples of topics you might research, along with examples of what might be considered primary sources for those topics.
Where To Find Primary SourcesUnlike articles and books, primary sources are often unpublished, and that can make them harder to find. But there are many tools to help you locate them.
Primary Sources and Gray LiteratureYou may have noticed that there is an overlap between the topic of gray literature and the topic of primary sources. Long story short - Not all Gray Literature is Primary Sources, and not every Primary Source is an example of Gray Literature. But here are some examples of things that are both:
What is considered an original source?Primary sources are original materials, regardless of format. Letters, diaries, minutes, photographs, artifacts, interviews, and sound or video recordings are examples of primary sources created as a time or event is occurring.
What do you call the data that come from original source?Primary Sources are immediate, first-hand accounts of a topic, from people who had a direct connection with it.
What are source materials in research?A source is either a primary, secondary, or tertiary material type depending on when it was created and its purpose and scope. It is important to understand the value in using primary, secondary and tertiary sources of information for research. Each serves a different purpose in the research process.
What does original source material mean?noun. original, authoritative, or basic materials utilized in research, as diaries or manuscripts.
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