LibGuides: How to Do Research: A Step-By-Step Guide: 3b. Primary vs. Secondary

Source Types

When evaluating information, it is useful to identify if it's a Primary, Secondary, or Tertiary source. By doing so, you will be able recognize if the author is reporting on his/her own first hand experiences, or relying on the views of others.

Source Type	Examples
Primary A first-person account by someone who experienced or witnessed an event. The original document has not been previously published or interpreted by anyone else.	First-person account of an event First publication of a scientific study Speech or lecture Original artwork Handwritten manuscript Letters between two people A diary Historical documents, e.g. Bill of Rights
Secondary One step removed from the primary original source. The author is reexamining, interpreting and forming conclusions based on the information conveyed in the primary source.	Newspaper reporting on a scientific study Review of a music CD or art show Biography
Tertiary Further removed from a primary source. It leads the researcher to a secondary source, rather than to the primary source.	Bibliography Index to articles Library catalog

Tip!

Search the Library Search tool on the library home page to find primary source material for your topic. Try adding one of the keywords below:

artwork
charters
correspondence
data/statistics
diaries/journals
documents
interviews
laws
letters

maps
manuscripts
memoirs/autobiographies
oratory
pamphlets
personal narratives
sources
speeches

NOTE: EBSCOhost's Academic Search Complete database has a limiter for searching for Primary Source Documents. Go to Advanced Search and select it from the list of Publication Types. Also, the Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600-2000 database contains primary documents in U.S. women's history. The Library's ebook collection includes some primary source titles.