When we are talking about sources of research, we usually distinguish three types: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Although sources are very important in every study, not all students fully recognize the difference between primary and secondary sources,
General info
What is a secondary source? Basically, secondary sources describe or discuss already existing information. On the contrary, primary sources deliver original information. For example, when we are going to study history, diaries, manuscripts, letters are primary sources, and scholarly publications are secondary sources. Plus, secondary sources usually give interpretations and additional information.
How to recognize secondary sources
Secondary sources have several major features. First of all, they were created by someone who didn’t participate in the events or didn’t experience the conditions you are going to research. Secondly, such sources usually provide explanations and remarks from other researchers.
How to distinguish secondary sources at ease? Remember a simple pattern: a secondary source is something that analyzes, describes, explains, or evaluates data from primary sources. Like building a good house is impossible without laying a foundation, secondary sources are impossible without primary ones.
Secondary sources come in different forms: encyclopedias, reviews, dictionaries, textbooks, newspaper opinion pieces, essays, synopses, scholarly books, and journal articles.
Secondary sources in the research process
Secondary sources are essential for your research as they contain valuable ideas, thoughts, and discussions. They not only help understand the problem better but also not to repeat the mistakes of other researchers. Once you are informed, you won’t reproduce the same concepts and ideas in your own research. Secondary sources contextualize a specific topic, bringing it into the picture. They explain different positions about primary data.
It is crucial to use both primary and secondary sources, as they complement one another. However, only reliable sources (well-written books and peer-reviewed articles) should be used for research.
