Primary Sources
Primary sources are sources which provide first-hand, contemporary accounts or other original information about the events, phenomena, or persons being researched.
Secondary Sources
Secondary sources are interpretive. They may analyze, draw conclusions, assign value to, conjecture upon, explain, put in context or otherwise interpret the events, phenomena, or people being researched, but they rely on other sources (usually primary sources) to understand the research subject.
Primary Sources | Secondary Sources |
Accounts of events:
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Accounts of events:
*Documentaries and podcasts may contain primary sources such as contemporary video and audio clips |
Examples of original data/works of art*:
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Examples of studies or works of art*:
*Works of art which are created after-the-fact, by those who were not directly involved in events are secondary sources. If the work of art is created at the time of the events by someone with first-hand knowledge, then it is a primary source. |
If you have any questions about the difference between primary and secondary sources or you want to ask about a specific source, use the chat box or email form below and ask a librarian.