What’s a Source?
Teaching & Learning; University Libraries; and Liza Long
Primary and Secondary Sources
Your instructor may ask you to use primary sources and/or secondary sources.
- Primary sources serve as an original source of information about the topic. Examples of primary sources include personal interviews, news articles, media (such as photos or videos), and primary texts like novels or the Declaration of Independence.
- Secondary sources are documents or recordings that discuss information originally presented elsewhere. Secondary sources involve generalization, analysis, interpretation, or evaluation of the original information in a primary source. Examples of secondary sources include books and academic journal articles. Your instructor may also allow you to use high-quality journalism sources such as analysis or opinion articles in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, or similar publications for your assignments.
Popular vs. Professional vs. Scholarly Sources
Your instructor may also require that you use certain kinds of primary or secondary sources, such as:
- Popular sources: Popular newspaper and magazine articles (from publications such as The Washington Post, the New Yorker, and Rolling Stone) are meant for a large general audience, are generally affordable, and are easy to purchase or available for free. They are written by staff writers or reporters for the general public.
- Professional sources: Professional magazine articles (from publications such as Plastic Surgical Nursing and Music Teacher) are meant for people in a particular profession and are often accessible through a professional organization. Staff writers or other professionals in the targeted field write these articles at a level and with the language to be understood by everyone in the profession.
- Scholarly sources: Scholarly journal articles (from publications such as Plant Science and Education and Child Psychology) are meant for scholars, students, and the general public who want a deep understanding of a problem or issue. Researchers and scholars write these articles to present new knowledge and further understandings of their field of study.
