Distinguishing Between Primary and Secondary Sources

What type of sources provide raw information and first-hand evidence?

• Tertiary sources

• Primary sources

• Quaternary sources

• Secondary sources

Which of the following is NOT an example of a primary source in history?

• Textbooks

• Newspapers

• Photographs

• Letters

In the social sciences, which of the following can be considered a primary source?

• Encyclopedias

• Interview transcripts

• Documentaries

• Review articles

What is a secondary source?

• A source that is a physical object

• A source that provides direct evidence

• A source that describes, interprets, evaluates, or analyzes primary sources

• A source that is created at the same time as the event

Which of the following is an example of a secondary source?

• A journal article analyzing Obama's speeches

• Barack Obama's election victory speech

• A letter written by Obama

• A photograph of Obama

Why is it important to use both primary and secondary sources in research?

• All of the above

• To make the work more original and credible

• To show how the work relates to existing research

• To gain a full understanding of the topic

When should you use primary sources?

• To summarize information

• To make new discoveries and provide direct evidence

• To support or contrast your arguments

• To provide background information

When should you use secondary sources?

• To make new discoveries

• To provide your own original analysis

• To give direct evidence for your arguments

• To support or contrast your arguments with other researchers’ ideas

What should you do no matter which kind of source you’ve used?

• Ignore it

• Cite it correctly

• Summarize it

• Analyze it directly

What tool does Scribbr offer to help with citations?

• Thesaurus

• Grammar checker

• Citation generator

• Plagiarism checker