Primary, Secondary and Tertiary

What is a primary source?

First-hand, authoritative accounts produced at the time of the event by a person who experienced it.

Examples of Primary Sources

• Letters, diaries, or journals
• Sacred or instructional texts
• First-hand newspaper reports
• Research data & surveys
• Speeches / autobiographies / memoirs
• Creative works: Plays, paintings, songs, etc.
• Original photographs

What is a secondary source?

Interprets, critiques, or draws conclusions from primary sources. Often includes an analysis of an event that was discussed or featured in the primary source.

Examples of Secondary Sources

• Textbooks (may also be considered tertiary)
• Essays or reviews
• Articles that analyze or discuss ideas or events
• Criticisms or commentaries

What is a tertiary source?

Generally provides an overview or summary of a topic and may contain both primary and secondary sources. Information is entirely factual and does not include analysis or critique.

Examples of Tertiary Sources

• Textbooks
• Almanacs
• Bibliographies or abstracts
• Encyclopedias, Wikipedia
• Databases

What are the advantages of using all 3 source types in a paper?

Tips:

• It makes more sense to find these sources opposite of their naming.
• Begin with a tertiary source to learn background knowledge, then move on to a secondary source.
• By using a secondary source, you can discover primary sources.

OR
If you already know of primary sources you wish to use, use these sources as keywords to find secondary sources that analyze and critique them.

Think-Puzzle-Explore

Think:
Based on what you've read and learned in class, what do you think you know about this topic?

Puzzle:

• What questions or puzzles do you have?
• What would be interesting to investigate and learn more about?
• What are you curious about?

Explore:

• How can we explore these questions / puzzles?
• Where could you get further information? What sources would be worth exploring?
• How would you frame your search keywords?
• What excites you about this topic?
• What is worrisome about this topic?