Primary and Secondary Sources

What is a primary source?

• first-hand account or evidence

• it discusses the original material

• shows analysis of a material

Answer explanation

Primary sources provide a first-hand account or evidence of an event, time, object, person or even work of art and are considered authoritative. 

What does primary represent or provides?

• represent analysis

• provides interpretation

• represent original thinking or materials

Answer explanation

They represent original thinking, reports on discoveries or events, or they can share new information. 

Primary sources provide the original materials that enable us to get as close as possible to what happened during a particular event or time. 

Published materials can be viewed as primary sources if they come from the time that is being discussed and were written or produced by someone with firsthand experience of the event. 

What is a secondary source?

• shows original materials

• provides analysis and interpretations

• first-hand account

Answer explanation

Secondary sources offer an analysis, interpretation or a restatement of primary sources and are considered to be persuasive. 

Secondary source is considered as persausive, why?

• it is made to convince the reader of the creator's argument 

• it is written to share new discoveries

Answer explanation

They often involve generalization, synthesis, interpretation, commentary or evaluation to convince the reader of the creator's argument. They often attempt to describe or explain primary sources. 

it’s usually not to analyze it directly. Instead, you’ll probably test its arguments against new evidence or use its ideas to help formulate your own. 

__________ is considered a primary source of information because it makes a personal connection to the past.

• A biography of Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar

• A documentary about the Philippine history

• Downloaded photograph of the first ever Angel Festival

• An interview with an eye-witness

Choose “P” if the source is primary or “S” if the source is secondary.

An original photograph from the 1941 attack at Pearl Harbor that you found in your grandparent's photo album.

• 
• 

Choose “P” if the source is primary or “S” if the source is secondary.

A newspaper article outlining the effect of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

• 
• 

__________ are examples of primary sources.

• Dictionary, encyclopedia, atlas

• Paintings, sculptures, artifacts

• Research, criticisms, reviews

• Encyclopedia, history book, cook book

Choose “P” if the source is primary or “S” if the source is secondary.

A website that summarizes Ancient Roman mythology.

• 
• 

Choose “P” if the source is primary or “S” if the source is secondary.

Pictures taken by your Aunt Sally of the World Trade Center attack.

• 
•