Understanding the distinctions between primary, secondary and tertiary sources is critical for academic research.
Primary sources provide original, firsthand accounts and are essential for foundational research.
Secondary sources analyze and interpret primary data, offering deeper insights and multiple perspectives.
Tertiary sources, such as encyclopedias and handbooks, summarize and condense information from primary and secondary sources, providing quick insights and background knowledge.
Recognizing these differences helps researchers choose the right source for their needs.
| Primary | Secondary | Tertiary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peer Reviewed | Yes | Yes | Sometimes |
| New Information and analysis | Always | Always | Never |
| Purpose |
Original, firsthand accounts without interpretation by other researchers It is essential to understand the foundational aspects of any research topic. |
Provides analysis, interpretation, or commentary on primary sources
|
Summaries of primary and secondary source to introduce the current state of research on a topic, summarize or condense information
|
| Types of studies |
|
|
|
| Methods | Typically meticulously outline experimental designs, data collection methods, and statistical analyses. They often document the precise procedures followed, such as recruitment strategies for participants, intervention protocols, or diagnostic criteria used. | Typically, describe the careful process they used to find as many results as possible, including what databases they searched, what keywords they used, and what the inclusion and exclusion criteria were for any articles analyzed in the study. | No standard methods |
| Key words to look for |
Descriptions of the participants in the study
|
Descriptions of what databases were searched and the keywords used | No standards |
Examples
The following articles are all on a similar topic, and reading and comparing them will help you begin to understand some of the key differences between Primary and Secondary Sources.
The passages below were taken from the methods section of either primary or secondary sources.
The bolded passages are key characteristics that indicate whether they are primary or secondary sources.
Read the passage, paying attention to the bolded parts. Then, determine what type of source it is.
Articles are all published in Frontiers, which is an open-access journal where all articles have a CC-BY license.
Take a look at the other categories and types of sources, or move on to research tools.
