Primary and Secondary Sources

To carry out research effectively it is important to be able to identify if your information comes from a primary or secondary source.

Primary sources provide raw information and first-hand evidence.

Secondary sources provide second-hand information and commentary.

Good research uses both primary and secondary sources. A secondary source can become a primary source depending on your research question. If the person, context or technique that produced the source is the main focus or your research, it becomes a primary source.

For example: A recent documentary about World War II is a secondary source is you are researching the causes of the war but if you a researching filmmaking techniques used in historical documentaries then it is a primary source.

How to tell if a source is primary or secondary? Ask yourself the following questions:

• Does the source come from someone directly involved in the event I am studying (primary)?

• Am I analysing the source itself (primary) or using it for background information (secondary)?

• Does the source provide original information (primary) or does it comment upon information from other sources (secondary)?