Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sources

1. Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sources Information collected from: http://www.lib.umd.edu/tl/guides/primary-sources

2. Primary Sources • Primary sources are original materials • They are from the time period involved and have not been filtered through interpretation or evaluation • Primary sources are original materials on which other research is based

3. Primary Sources: Examples • Artifacts  • Audio recordings (e.g. radio programs) • Diaries • Letters • Newspaper articles written at the time • Photographs • Speeches • Video recordings (e.g. television programs) • Works of art

4. Secondary Sources • Accounts written after the fact with the benefit of hindsight • They are interpretations and evaluations of primary sources • Secondary sources are not evidence, but rather commentary on and discussion of evidence

5. Secondary Sources: Examples • Bibliographies  • Biographical works • Commentaries and criticisms • Dictionaries, Encyclopedias or other reference books • Textbooks

6. Tertiary Sources • Collections of primary and secondary sources • Generally, they are focused on collection of information

7. Tertiary Sources: Examples • Almanacs • Chronologies • Directories • Fact books • Guidebooks • Manuals

8. Here’s a non-fancy chart: