* Created by: Teaching & Learning Services, University of Maryland Libraries
Scope: As you conduct research, you will consult different sources of information. A professor may request primary, secondary, or tertiary sources. What does that mean? This guide explains these terms and gives examples for each category.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
The types of information that can be considered primary sources may vary depending on the subject discipline, and also on how you are using the material.
For example:
Definition:
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. They are usually the first formal appearance of results in physical, print or electronic format. They present original thinking, report a discovery, or share new information.
Note: The definition of a primary source may vary depending upon the discipline or context.
Examples include:
For more information about identifying and analyzing primary sources, visit this guide.
Definition:
Secondary sources are less easily defined than primary sources. Generally, they are 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. However, what some define as a secondary source, others define as a tertiary source. Context is everything.
Note: The definition of a secondary source may vary depending upon the discipline or context.
Examples include:
Definition:
Tertiary sources consist of information which is a distillation and collection of primary and secondary sources.
SUBJECT | PRIMARY | SECONDARY | TERTIARY |
Art and Architecture | Painting by Manet | Article critiquing art piece | ArtStor database |
Chemistry/Life Sciences | Einstein's diary | Monograph on Einstein's life | Dictionary on Theory of Relativity |
Engineering/Physical Sciences | Patent | NTIS database | Manual on using invention |
Humanities | Letters by Martin Luther King | Web site on King's writings | Encyclopedia on Civil Rights Movement |
Social Sciences | Notes taken by clinical psychologist | Magazine article about the psychological condition | Textbook on clinical psychology |
Performing Arts | Movie filmed in 1942 | Biography of the director | Guide to the movie |
You can search WorldCat UNM to find primary, secondary and tertiary sources. Here are some sample word/s anywhere searches in WorldCat UNM:
Primary | diaries
World war |
Secondary | biography
world war |
Tertiary | encyclopedia
world war |
Need help in determining the difference between primary, secondary and tertiary sources? Contact your librarian