Primary and secondary sources - ELISE | Informing your studies tutorial

Primary or secondary?

Primary sources represent original thinking, reports on discoveries or events, or they can share new information. They are usually the first formal appearance of original research.

Secondary sources involve analysis, synthesis, interpretation, or evaluation of primary sources. They often attempt to describe or explain primary sources.

Scholarly journals, although generally considered to be secondary sources, often contain articles on very specific subjects and may be the primary source of information on new developments.

Primary sources	Secondary sources
statistical data manuscripts surveys speeches autobiographies, diaries oral histories, interviews works of art and literature research reports government documents original documents, e.g. birth certificates, trial transcripts	textbooks books and articles that interpret or review research works histories criticism of literature, art works or music biographies political commentary encyclopedias dictionaries newspaper editorials

See Primary and secondary sources for more guidance.

Ithaca College Library also has a useful guide to the differences between primary and secondary sources.

ELISE | Informing your studies tutorial: Primary and secondary sources

Primary or secondary?