Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources
There are three kinds of information sources that you can use in your assignments, Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary sources. In your research for your classes you will be using all three kinds of information. One is not right or better than the other. They just have different purposes. So it will be helpful to understand their differences.
Generally, Primary sources are the first and closest recorded representation of the evidence from studies, original observations of events, original documents and communications of organizations including governments, and creative works of art, literature, film or music.
Secondary sources are created by someone who did not experience first hand or participate in the events, conditions, or studies you are researching. However, secondary sources analyze and interpret primary sources, to find valuable insights, trends, and contexts. Secondary sources can be found in books, articles, web sites, videos, and media.
Tertiary Sources consist of a summary of or index to primary sources and relevant secondary source analyses on a specific topic. Tertiary sources are found in encyclopedia, textbooks, databases, handbooks, and dictionaries.
There is no one universal definition of primary, secondary, or tertiary sources, rather each discipline defines primary, secondary, and tertiary sources according to the nature of the discipline.
See some definitions and examples of primary, secondary, and tertiary sources by disciplines below.
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Primary_Sources |
Secondary_Sourcesxxxx |
Tertiary_Sourcesxxxxxxx |
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Sciences |
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Literature/Art Music/Artifact |
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History |
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Business |
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