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More About Primary Sources
When searching for information on a topic, it is important
to understand the distinction among primary, secondary and tertiary sources
and the appropriate use of each type of source.
- A primary source is an original document containing
raw, original, non-interpreted and unevaluated information about a topic.
- A secondary source contains commentary on or discussion
about a primary source. The most important feature of secondary sources
is that they offer an interpretation of information gathered from primary
sources. Since there may be more than one valid opinion about a topic,
several secondary sources are necessary to get a complete picture.
- A tertiary source is a factual analysis of secondary
information.
Facts to consider in determining what kind of a source
you are dealing with:
- Timing of the event recorded--If the article was composed
close to the time of the event recorded, chances are it is primary material.
For instance, a letter written by a soldier during the Vietnam War is
primary material, as is an article written in the newspaper at the time
of the Vietnam War. However, an article written about the Vietnam War
in recent years would be secondary material.
- Rhetorical aim of the written item--Often, an item that
is written with a persuasive, or analytical, aim is secondary material.
These materials have digested and interpreted the event with a certain
detachment not characteristic of primary materials.
- Context of the researching scholar--Primary materials
for a critic studying the literature of the Vietnam War are different
from primary materials for a research scientist studying the affects
of Agent Orange syndrome. The critic's primary materials are the poems,
stories, and films of the era. The research scientist's primary materials
would be the medical records of those person exposed to Agent Orange.
Take a look at this
chart, adopted from material published in the UNCW Fast Facts Guide,
which [http://library.uncwil.edu/is/infocycle.htm] briefly explains what
these types of sources are and provides examples of each.
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