In a Literature Review Why Might Primary Sources Be Preferred Over Secondary Sorces
Main vs Secondary Sources | Explained with Piece of cake Examples
When y'all exercise research, you have to gather information and evidence from a variety of sources.
Primary sources provide raw information and first-hand evidence. Examples include interview transcripts, statistical data, and works of art. A master source gives you direct access to the subject of your inquiry.
Secondary sources provide second-hand information and commentary from other researchers. Examples include journal articles, reviews, and academic books. A secondary source describes, interprets, or synthesizes primary sources.
Master sources are more credible equally evidence, but good enquiry uses both main and secondary sources.
What is a principal source?
A primary source is anything that gives you direct evidence almost the people, events, or phenomena that you lot are researching. Primary sources will usually be the master objects of your analysis.
If you are researching the past, you cannot straight access information technology yourself, so you need main sources that were produced at the fourth dimension by participants or witnesses (eastward.g. letters, photographs, newspapers).
If you are researching something electric current, your primary sources can either be qualitative or quantitative data that you collect yourself (eastward.grand. through interviews, surveys, experiments) or sources produced by people directly involved in the topic (e.chiliad. official documents or media texts).
| Research field | Chief source |
|---|---|
| History |
|
| Art and literature |
|
| Communication and social studies |
|
| Constabulary and politics |
|
| Sciences |
|
What is a secondary source?
A secondary source is anything that describes, interprets, evaluates, or analyzes information from primary sources. Common examples include:
- Books, articles and documentaries that synthesize information on a topic
- Synopses and descriptions of artistic works
- Encyclopedias and textbooks that summarize information and ideas
- Reviews and essays that evaluate or interpret something
When you lot cite a secondary source, information technology'due south usually not to analyze it directly. Instead, y'all'll probably test its arguments against new evidence or use its ideas to assistance formulate your own.
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Primary and secondary source examples
| Principal source | Secondary source |
|---|---|
| Novel | Article analyzing the novel |
| Painting | Exhibition itemize explaining the painting |
| Letters and diaries written by a historical effigy | Biography of the historical figure |
| Essay past a philosopher | Textbook summarizing the philosopher's ideas |
| Photographs of a historical upshot | Documentary almost the historical event |
| Authorities documents about a new policy | Newspaper article about the new policy |
| Music recordings | Academic volume about the musical fashion |
| Results of an opinion poll | Blog post interpreting the results of the poll |
| Empirical report | Literature review that cites the study |
Examples of sources that can be primary or secondary
A secondary source can go a main source depending on your enquiry question. If the person, context, or technique that produced the source is the main focus of your research, information technology becomes a primary source.
Documentaries
If you are researching the causes of World War II, a contempo documentary near the war is a secondary source. Merely if you are researching the filmmaking techniques used in historical documentaries, the documentary is a main source.
Reviews and essays
If your paper is virtually the novels of Toni Morrison, a magazine review of one of her novels is a secondary source. Simply if your paper is about the critical reception of Toni Morrison's work, the review is a primary source.
Newspaper manufactures
If your aim is to analyze the government'due south economical policy, a newspaper article well-nigh a new policy is a secondary source. Merely if your aim is to analyze media coverage of economic issues, the newspaper article is a primary source.
How to tell if a source is primary or secondary
To make up one's mind if something can be used as a primary or secondary source in your research, in that location are some elementary questions you can ask yourself:
- Does this source come from someone direct involved in the events I'thou studying (primary) or from some other researcher (secondary)?
- Am I interested in analyzing the source itself (primary) or merely using information technology for background information (secondary)?
- Does the source provide original data (primary) or does it annotate upon information from other sources (secondary)?
Primary vs secondary sources: which is better?
Nigh research uses both primary and secondary sources. They complement each other to help you build a convincing argument. Master sources are more credible as evidence, merely secondary sources show how your work relates to existing research.
What do you use primary sources for?
Primary sources are the foundation of original research. They allow you to:
- Make new discoveries
- Provide credible evidence for your arguments
- Give authoritative data almost your topic
If y'all don't employ any primary sources, your research may be considered unoriginal or unreliable.
What exercise you lot apply secondary sources for?
Secondary sources are good for gaining a full overview of your topic and agreement how other researchers have approached it. They often synthesize a large number of primary sources that would be difficult and fourth dimension-consuming to gather past yourself. They allow you lot to:
- Gain background information on the topic
- Support or dissimilarity your arguments with other researchers' ideas
- Gather data from primary sources that you tin can't access directly (due east.g. individual letters or physical documents located elsewhere)
When you conduct a literature review, yous can consult secondary sources to proceeds a thorough overview of your topic. If you want to mention a newspaper or report that y'all find cited in a secondary source, seek out the original source and cite it directly.
Call up that all primary and secondary sources must be correctly cited to avoid plagiarism.
Frequently asked questions about primary and secondary sources
- How can you tell if a source is primary or secondary?
-
To make up one's mind if a source is principal or secondary, ask yourself:
- Was the source created by someone straight involved in the events you lot're studying (primary), or by some other researcher (secondary)?
- Does the source provide original information (primary), or does it summarize information from other sources (secondary)?
- Are y'all directly analyzing the source itself (master), or only using it for background information (secondary)?
Some types of source are well-nigh always primary: works of art and literature, raw statistical data, official documents and records, and personal communications (due east.chiliad. letters, interviews). If you use one of these in your research, it is probably a primary source.
Chief sources are oft considered the most credible in terms of providing evidence for your argument, as they requite you direct evidence of what you are researching. Withal, it's up to you to ensure the information they provide is reliable and accurate.
E'er make sure to properly cite your sources to avert plagiarism.
- Is a movie a master or secondary source?
-
A fictional movie is usually a primary source. A documentary tin can exist either principal or secondary depending on the context.
If you are directly analyzing some aspect of the movie itself – for case, the cinematography, narrative techniques, or social context – the movie is a chief source.
If yous apply the movie for groundwork information or assay about your topic – for example, to learn nearly a historical issue or a scientific discovery – the motion-picture show is a secondary source.
Whether it's master or secondary, ever properly cite the movie in the citation style yous are using. Acquire how to create an MLA movie citation or an APA pic commendation.
- Is a newspaper commodity a primary or secondary source?
-
Manufactures in newspapers and magazines can be primary or secondary depending on the focus of your research.
In historical studies, old manufactures are used as main sources that give directly evidence nigh the fourth dimension catamenia. In social and communication studies, articles are used every bit master sources to clarify linguistic communication and social relations (for instance, by conducting content analysis or discourse analysis).
If you are non analyzing the article itself, but just using it for background information or facts about your topic, then the commodity is a secondary source.
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