More about Primary Sources

University Archive Photograph of a Football GameAlthough many primary sources are old, a document does not have to be old and brittle to be a primary source. For instance, an email is a primary source, but an email forwarded from a third party is a secondary source.

A primary source in one subject may be a secondary source in another. A secondary resource like a textbook, a journal article or biographical work might contain historical facts or original research from another author that were interpreted by the author in a certain way, in order to further a particular argument. This is particularly true for materials in certain subjects, like history, anthropology and other social sciences. For the most part, secondary sources are derived works that interpret primary sources in some way.

Remember that a primary source for one discipline many not qualify as one in another subject. For example, an article in a scientific journal would be a primary source because it presents original data and research, but an article in a historical journal would not, since it is based on the conclusions or interpretation of the author.

Additional Information

Lyons, Kenneth. (2001-2005). How to Distinguish between Primary and Secondary Sources. Santa Cruz: University Library, University of California Santa Cruz. Retrieved 12 June 2007 from the World Wide Web: http://library.ucsc.edu/ref/howto/primarysecondary.html

Whitson, B. and Phillips, M. (1998-2007). Library Research Using Primary Sources. Berkeley: Library, University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved 12 June 2007 from the World Wide Web: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/PrimarySources.html