secondary source in biography

Primary vs. Secondary Sources: Primary vs. Secondary Sources

Primary sources.

Primary sources are materials that are eyewitness accounts or as close to the original source as possible.

Qualitative data:

• What people say. They are usually Speeches , Interviews and Conversations, and they may be captured in Videos, Audio Recordings, or transcribed into text.
• What people write.  These include Autobiographies, Memoirs, Personal Journals and Diaries, Letters, Emails, Blogs, Twitter Feeds and other forms of Social Media.
• Images and Videos.
• Government Documents-- U.S . and rest of the world.
• Laws, Court Cases and Decisions, Treaties.
• Newspapers.

Quantitative data:

• Statistics and Data .
• Polls and Public Opinions .

Please note that a book is simply a format.  You can find both primary and secondary sources published in book form.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources are interpretations and analyses based on primary sources.

For example, an autobiography is a primary source while a biography is a secondary source.

Typical secondary sources include:

• Scholarly Journal Articles.  Use these and books exclusively for writing Literature Reviews.
• Encyclopedias.
• Dictionaries.
• Documentaries.

Please note that a book is simply a format.  You can find primary and secondary sources published in book form.

When Secondary Sources Become Primary Sources

Often secondary and primary sources are relative concepts.  Typical secondary sources may be primary sources depending on the research topic.

• Intellectual history topics. For example, although scholarly journal articles are usually considered secondary sources, if one's topic is the history of human rights, then journal articles on human rights will be primary sources in this instance.  Similarly, research on the thinking of a scholar will include her published journal articles as primary sources.  
• Historical topics. Magazine articles are secondary sources, but for someone researching the view of judicial punishment in the 1920s, magazines from that time period are primary sources.  Indeed, any older publication, such as those prior to the 20th century, is very often automatically considered a primary source.  
• Newspapers may be either primary or secondary. Most articles in newspapers are secondary, but reporters may be considered as witnesses to an event.  Any topic on the media coverage of an event or phenomenon would treat newspapers as a primary source.  There are so many articles and types of articles in newspapers that newspapers can often be considered either primary or secondary.
• Last Updated: Aug 11, 2023 3:44 PM
• URL: https://subjectguides.library.american.edu/primary

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• Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples

Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples

Published on June 20, 2018 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on May 31, 2023.

When you do research, you have to gather information and evidence from a variety of sources.

Primary sources provide raw information and first-hand evidence. Examples include interview transcripts, statistical data, and works of art. Primary research gives you direct access to the subject of your research.

Secondary sources provide second-hand information and commentary from other researchers. Examples include journal articles, reviews, and academic books . Thus, secondary research describes, interprets, or synthesizes primary sources.

Primary sources are more credible as evidence, but good research uses both primary and secondary sources.

Table of contents

What is a primary source, what is a secondary source, primary and secondary source examples, how to tell if a source is primary or secondary, primary vs secondary sources: which is better, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about primary and secondary sources.

A primary source is anything that gives you direct evidence about the people, events, or phenomena that you are researching. Primary sources will usually be the main objects of your analysis.

If you are researching the past, you cannot directly access it yourself, so you need primary sources that were produced at the time by participants or witnesses (e.g. letters, photographs, newspapers ).

If you are researching something current, your primary sources can either be qualitative or quantitative data that you collect yourself (e.g. through interviews , surveys , experiments ) or sources produced by people directly involved in the topic (e.g. official documents or media texts).

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A secondary source is anything that describes, interprets, evaluates, or analyzes information from primary sources. Common examples include:

• Books , articles and documentaries that synthesize information on a topic
• Synopses and descriptions of artistic works
• Encyclopedias and textbooks that summarize information and ideas
• Reviews and essays that evaluate or interpret something

When you cite a secondary source, 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.

Examples of sources that can be primary or secondary

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 of your research, it becomes a primary source.

Documentaries

If you are researching the causes of World War II, a recent documentary about the war is a secondary source . But if you are researching the filmmaking techniques used in historical documentaries, the documentary is a primary source .

Reviews and essays

If your paper is about the novels of Toni Morrison, a magazine review of one of her novels is a secondary source . But if your paper is about the critical reception of Toni Morrison’s work, the review is a primary source .

Newspaper articles

If your aim is to analyze the government’s economic policy, a newspaper article about a new policy is a secondary source . But if your aim is to analyze media coverage of economic issues, the newspaper article is a primary source .

To determine if something can be used as a primary or secondary source in your research, there are some simple questions you can ask yourself:

• Does this source come from someone directly involved in the events I’m studying (primary) or from another researcher (secondary)?
• Am I interested in evaluating the source itself (primary) or only using it for background information (secondary)?
• Does the source provide original information (primary) or does it comment upon information from other sources (secondary)?

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Most research uses both primary and secondary sources. They complement each other to help you build a convincing argument. Primary sources are more credible as evidence, but secondary sources show how your work relates to existing research. Tertiary sources are often used in the first, exploratory stage of research.

What do you use primary sources for?

Primary sources are the foundation of original research. They allow you to:

• Make new discoveries
• Provide credible evidence for your arguments
• Give authoritative information about your topic

If you don’t use any primary sources, your research may be considered unoriginal or unreliable.

What do you use secondary sources for?

Secondary sources are good for gaining a full overview of your topic and understanding how other researchers have approached it. They often synthesize a large number of primary sources that would be difficult and time-consuming to gather by yourself. They allow you to:

• Gain background information on the topic
• Support or contrast your arguments with other researchers’ ideas
• Gather information from primary sources that you can’t access directly (e.g. private letters or physical documents located elsewhere)

When you conduct a literature review or meta analysis, you can consult secondary sources to gain a thorough overview of your topic. If you want to mention a paper or study that you find cited in a secondary source, seek out the original source and cite it directly.

Remember that all primary and secondary sources must be cited to avoid plagiarism . You can use Scribbr’s free citation generator to do so!

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• ChatGPT vs human editor
• ChatGPT citations
• Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
• Using ChatGPT for your studies
• What is ChatGPT?
• Chicago style
• Paraphrasing

 Plagiarism

• Types of plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Academic integrity
• Consequences of plagiarism
• Common knowledge

Common examples of primary sources include interview transcripts , photographs, novels, paintings, films, historical documents, and official statistics.

Anything you directly analyze or use as first-hand evidence can be a primary source, including qualitative or quantitative data that you collected yourself.

Common examples of secondary sources include academic books, journal articles , reviews, essays , and textbooks.

Anything that summarizes, evaluates or interprets primary sources can be a secondary source. If a source gives you an overview of background information or presents another researcher’s ideas on your topic, it is probably a secondary source.

To determine if a source is primary or secondary, ask yourself:

• Was the source created by someone directly involved in the events you’re studying (primary), or by another researcher (secondary)?
• Does the source provide original information (primary), or does it summarize information from other sources (secondary)?
• Are you directly analyzing the source itself (primary), or only using it for background information (secondary)?

Some types of source are nearly always primary: works of art and literature, raw statistical data, official documents and records, and personal communications (e.g. letters, interviews ). If you use one of these in your research, it is probably a primary source.

Primary sources are often considered the most credible in terms of providing evidence for your argument, as they give you direct evidence of what you are researching. However, it’s up to you to ensure the information they provide is reliable and accurate.

Always make sure to properly cite your sources to avoid plagiarism .

A fictional movie is usually a primary source. A documentary can be either primary or secondary depending on the context.

If you are directly analyzing some aspect of the movie itself – for example, the cinematography, narrative techniques, or social context – the movie is a primary source.

If you use the movie for background information or analysis about your topic – for example, to learn about a historical event or a scientific discovery – the movie is a secondary source.

Whether it’s primary or secondary, always properly cite the movie in the citation style you are using. Learn how to create an MLA movie citation or an APA movie citation .

Articles in newspapers and magazines can be primary or secondary depending on the focus of your research.

In historical studies, old articles are used as primary sources that give direct evidence about the time period. In social and communication studies, articles are used as primary sources to analyze language and social relations (for example, by conducting content analysis or discourse analysis ).

If you are not analyzing the article itself, but only using it for background information or facts about your topic, then the article is a secondary source.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2023, May 31). Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 11, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/primary-and-secondary-sources/

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History: Primary vs. Secondary Sources

• Primary vs. Secondary Sources
• Primary Source Databases
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Definitions (from Pennington School)

A primary source is an original material created during the time under study. Primary sources can be original documents, creative works, published materials of the times, institutional and government documents or relics and artifacts

Secondary sources put primary sources in context. They comment, summarize, interpret or analyze information found in primary sources. Secondary sources are usually written by individuals who did not experience firsthand the events about which they are writing.

Examples (from Penington School)

Selected sources.

• Primary, Secondary or Tertiary Sources Tertiary sources: good for an overview; can help narrow a topic Secondary sources: sources created after the time of the event and not contemporaneous with the lifetime of the person Primary sources: original objects or documents created near the time being studied.

Analyzing Primary Sources

• (3-D Pyramid) Five Steps to Analyze Primary Sources

Determining Primary vs. Secondary Sources (from Fresno State Univ.)

Primary vs. Secondary Sources: A Questionnaire

Answer the questions below about your source. If you answer, “yes” to any of the following questions, there is a good chance the source is PRIMARY.

Did the author personally witness or experience the subject in question? Does the author know about this subject because of personal experience rather than having just read about it? Is this source a diary, letter, memoir, autobiography, oral history, or interview of a person with first hand experience of the subject? Is this source an official document or record published at the time of the event by the government, courts, or another organization? Is this source a newspaper or magazine article written at the time of the event? Is this a creative work such as a novel, poem, art or music piece created by a firsthand witness of the subject in question? Is this an excerpt from a primary source, such as the constitution or a letter written by a Civil War soldier that has been imbedded in a secondary source, such as a textbook?Remember, secondary sources may include reprints of primary sources. Is this an artifact or relic such as jewelry, pottery, clothing, music, art, architecture, dance or weaponry that was used by witnesses of the subject in question? Is this a compilation of raw scientific data or statistics, such as census statistics published by the U.S. Census Bureau, that is being published without commentary or interpretation?

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Primary, Secondary, & Tertiary Sources

• Source Types
• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Tertiary Sources
• Examples by Discipline

What are secondary sources?

Secondary sources depend upon primary sources. Secondary sources describe, discuss, interpret, comment upon, analyze, evaluate, summarize, and process primary sources. The important thing to keep in mind when trying to decide if a source is primary or secondary is whether or not the author did the thing they are reporting on. If they did, it is a primary source; if they did not, it is a secondary source.

What is the role of secondary sources in research?

Secondary sources represent the scholarly conversation that has taken place, or is currently taking place, on a given topic. Thus, it is imperative that researchers acquire a comprehensive knowledge of the secondary literature on their topic to be able to then engage with it and offer their own perspective through their writing. Scholars show their deep knowledge of their topic by demonstrating in their writing their awareness of secondary literature. Research that does not include substantial references to both primary and secondary sources is not likely to be authoritative or reliable. For that reason, looking at the listed references in a piece of research can help you determine its value.

What are some examples of secondary sources?

Like primary sources, secondary sources can be lots of different kinds of resources depending on discipline and application. Secondary sources can be:

• Journal articles
• Monographs (books written on a single subject)
• Newspaper or magazine articles
• Book or movie reviews 

In the sciences, secondary sources tend to be things like literature reviews (synthesized descriptions of previous scholarship on a topic), systematic reviews (overviews of primary sources on a topic), or meta analyses (studies in which conclusions are drawn from consideration of systematic reviews).

In the humanities, secondary sources tend to be journal articles that discuss or evaluate someone else's research, monographs, or reviews. 

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• Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples

Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples

Published on 4 September 2022 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on 15 May 2023.

When you do research, you have to gather information and evidence from a variety of sources.

Primary sources provide raw information and first-hand evidence. Examples include interview transcripts, statistical data, and works of art. A primary source gives you direct access to the subject of your research.

Secondary sources provide second-hand information and commentary from other researchers. Examples include journal articles, reviews, and academic books . A secondary source describes, interprets, or synthesises primary sources.

Primary sources are more credible as evidence, but good research uses both primary and secondary sources.

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Table of contents

What is a primary source, what is a secondary source, primary and secondary source examples, how to tell if a source is primary or secondary, primary vs secondary sources: which is better, frequently asked questions about primary and secondary sources.

A primary source is anything that gives you direct evidence about the people, events, or phenomena that you are researching. Primary sources will usually be the main objects of your analysis.

If you are researching the past, you cannot directly access it yourself, so you need primary sources that were produced at the time by participants or witnesses (e.g. letters, photographs, newspapers ).

If you are researching something current, your primary sources can either be qualitative or quantitative data that you collect yourself (e.g. through interviews, surveys, experiments) or sources produced by people directly involved in the topic (e.g. official documents or media texts).

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A secondary source is anything that describes, interprets, evaluates, or analyses information from primary sources. Common examples include:

• Books , articles and documentaries that synthesise information on a topic
• Synopses and descriptions of artistic works
• Encyclopaedias and textbooks that summarize information and ideas
• Reviews and essays that evaluate or interpret something

When you cite a secondary source, it’s usually not to analyse it directly. Instead, you’ll probably test its arguments against new evidence or use its ideas to help formulate your own.

Examples of sources that can be primary or secondary

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 of your research, it becomes a primary source.

To determine if something can be used as a primary or secondary source in your research, there are some simple questions you can ask yourself:

• Does this source come from someone directly involved in the events I’m studying (primary) or from another researcher (secondary)?
• Am I interested in analysing the source itself (primary) or only using it for background information (secondary)?
• Does the source provide original information (primary) or does it comment upon information from other sources (secondary)?

Most research uses both primary and secondary sources. They complement each other to help you build a convincing argument. Primary sources are more credible as evidence, but secondary sources show how your work relates to existing research.

What do you use primary sources for?

Primary sources are the foundation of original research. They allow you to:

• Make new discoveries
• Provide credible evidence for your arguments
• Give authoritative information about your topic

If you don’t use any primary sources, your research may be considered unoriginal or unreliable.

What do you use secondary sources for?

Secondary sources are good for gaining a full overview of your topic and understanding how other researchers have approached it. They often synthesise a large number of primary sources that would be difficult and time-consuming to gather by yourself. They allow you to:

• Gain background information on the topic
• Support or contrast your arguments with other researchers’ ideas
• Gather information from primary sources that you can’t access directly (e.g. private letters or physical documents located elsewhere)

When you conduct a literature review , you can consult secondary sources to gain a thorough overview of your topic. If you want to mention a paper or study that you find cited in a secondary source, seek out the original source and cite it directly.

Remember that all primary and secondary sources must be cited to avoid plagiarism . You can use Scribbr’s free citation generator to do so!

Common examples of primary sources include interview transcripts , photographs, novels, paintings, films, historical documents, and official statistics.

Anything you directly analyze or use as first-hand evidence can be a primary source, including qualitative or quantitative data that you collected yourself.

Common examples of secondary sources include academic books, journal articles , reviews, essays , and textbooks.

Anything that summarizes, evaluates or interprets primary sources can be a secondary source. If a source gives you an overview of background information or presents another researcher’s ideas on your topic, it is probably a secondary source.

To determine if a source is primary or secondary, ask yourself:

• Was the source created by someone directly involved in the events you’re studying (primary), or by another researcher (secondary)?
• Does the source provide original information (primary), or does it summarize information from other sources (secondary)?
• Are you directly analyzing the source itself (primary), or only using it for background information (secondary)?

Some types of sources are nearly always primary: works of art and literature, raw statistical data, official documents and records, and personal communications (e.g. letters, interviews ). If you use one of these in your research, it is probably a primary source.

Primary sources are often considered the most credible in terms of providing evidence for your argument, as they give you direct evidence of what you are researching. However, it’s up to you to ensure the information they provide is reliable and accurate.

Always make sure to properly cite your sources to avoid plagiarism .

A fictional movie is usually a primary source. A documentary can be either primary or secondary depending on the context.

If you are directly analysing some aspect of the movie itself – for example, the cinematography, narrative techniques, or social context – the movie is a primary source.

If you use the movie for background information or analysis about your topic – for example, to learn about a historical event or a scientific discovery – the movie is a secondary source.

Whether it’s primary or secondary, always properly cite the movie in the citation style you are using. Learn how to create an MLA movie citation or an APA movie citation .

Articles in newspapers and magazines can be primary or secondary depending on the focus of your research.

In historical studies, old articles are used as primary sources that give direct evidence about the time period. In social and communication studies, articles are used as primary sources to analyse language and social relations (for example, by conducting content analysis or discourse analysis ).

If you are not analysing the article itself, but only using it for background information or facts about your topic, then the article is a secondary source.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2023, May 15). Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 9 April 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/working-sources/primary-vs-secondary-sources/

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Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources: A Quick Guide: Secondary Sources

• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Tertiary Sources

What is a Secondary Source?

Secondary sources are books, periodicals, web sites, etc. that people write using the information from primary sources. They are not written by eyewitnesses to events, for instance, but use eyewitness accounts, photographs, diaries and other primary sources to reconstruct events or to support a writer's thesis about the events and their meaning. Many books you find in the Cornell Library Catalog are secondary sources.

Reference Help

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HIST 215J The Art of Biography Research Guide: Background and Secondary Sources

• Collection Materials Used in Class
• Background and Secondary Sources
• Primary Source Databases
• Citing Your Sources

Selected reference works

Background or "reference" sources are a great place to start your research. Reference works include bibliographies, scholarly encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other sources that provide overviews of topics and suggestions for further reading.

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of American History

A scholarly encyclopedia of potentially great use in the early stages of your research project. Each article has a discussion of the literature, including primary sources. A great starting point for finding more sources and arranged into browsable subject areas. 

American National Biography Online

Gale in Context: U.S. History

This resource brings together reference articles, along with selected primary and secondary sources for getting started on your research.

Oxford Bibliographies

This is an extensive collection of annotated bibliographies that are keyword searchable and can also be browsed by subject and geographic areas. These bibliographies are a great starting point for finding resources, primary and secondary, for your research topic. 

Oxford Handbooks Online Lengthy chapters in the Oxford Handbooks usually provide helpful overviews of scholarly topics and historical literature, along with suggestions for further reading. A number of the handbooks may be helpful depending on your research topic. 

Wiley Online Library

Includes scholarly journal articles and monographs as well as reference works. Often a single chapter or two within a reference work can provide a helpful starting point for research. Thousands of articles in this reference database touch on topics relating to eugenics.  Titles include A Companion to the Gilded Age and Progressive Era  and  A Companion to Post-1945 America .

Secondary sources

In addition to the online library catalog ( Books+  and  Orbis ), reference sources, and footnotes in sources you've already found (etc.), subject-specific databases are another extremely helpful resource for finding secondary literature, including the latest scholarly journal articles in the field.

• America: History and Life Provides historical coverage of the United States and Canada and indexes over 2000 historical journals. A key resource if you are searching for historical scholarship related to your research project. Among the journals indexed here are the Journal of American History, American Historical Review, and several more that can provide examples of some of the most recent scholarship in the field.
• Historical Abstracts Provides historical coverage of historical journals covering non-U.S./Canada history.
• JSTOR JSTOR provides access to more than 12 million academic journal articles, books, and primary sources in 75 disciplines.
• International Bibliography of the Social Sciences

And, don’t forget,  Orbis,   Books+  and  Articles+  are all useful tools for locating secondary sources!

Guides to Historical Research & Writing

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Explore Information — Primary & Secondary Sources - Humanities & Social Sciences

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Primary & Secondary Sources in the Humanities - Overview

Primary and Secondary Sources are understood in different ways by different subject areas. When you think about primary and secondary sources in your own life, those examples are probably most similar to the way the Humanities and Social Sciences generally understand primary and secondary sources.  See the guide What is a Primary Source for a concise overview.

Primary Sources

Primary sources are original materials on which research is based. They present information in its original form, neither interpreted nor condensed nor evaluated by other writers.  In the humanities and social sciences, these are the direct or first-hand evidence of events, objects, people, or works of art. 

Depending upon the context, primary sources can include items such as original artwork, manuscripts, sales receipts, speeches, e-mails,  photos, diaries, personal letters, spoken stories/tales/interviews, diplomatic records.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources provide commentary upon, interpretation of, or analysis of primary sources.  They put primary sources in context.  Because they are often written significantly after events by parties not directly involved but who have special expertise, they may provide historical context or critical perspectives.

Secondary sources can include items such as scholarly books; articles in newspapers, scholarly journals, and magazines; movie reviews; biographies.

Finding Primary Sources

• Using Library Search (Catalog) to Find Primary Sources

There are lots of places to start searching for primary sources in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Below are some places to start your search.

Library Search

Library Search finds items in the UConn Library Collection, including archival materials, print materials with original text, printed facsimiles, and online resources that link to digital facsimiles. 

For help finding primary sources using Library Search, see the Using the Library Search (Catalog) to Find Primary Sources tab.

Archives & Special Collections holds over 1000 collections of archival materials and primary sources. Primary sources from cultural institutions around the state of Connecticut can also be found in the Connecticut Digital Archive .

Research Guides

Library Subject Specialists create Research Guides that provide information and instruction on research within specific subjects.  Each guide varies, and may include primary source databases and other helpful resources in that field.  For additional help finding primary sources in a subject, contact the subject specialist profiled in the specific research guide.

Selected Primary Source Library Databases and Websites

• Historical Newspapers from ProQuest Search for historical articles in a variety of major American and international newspapers published between 1764-2019. See more info for complete list of newspapers included. more... less... Includes: Arizona Republican (1870-2007)*, Atlantic Constitution (1868-1984), Atlanta Daily World (1931-2010), Baltimore Afro-American (1893-2010), Baltimore Sun (1837-1997)*, Boston Globe (1872-1991), Chicago Defender (1909-2010), Chicago Tribune (1849-2013), Chinese Newspapers Collection (1832-1953), Christian Science Monitor (1908-2009)*, Cleveland Call & Post (1934-2010), Detroit Free Press (1831-1999)*, The Globe and Mail (1844-2019)*, The Guardian and the Observer (1791-2003)*, Hartford Courant (1764-1997), Irish Times and the Weekly Irish Times (1859-2021)*, Jerusalem Post (1932-2008)*, Jewish Advocate (1905-1990)*, Korea Times (1956-2016)*, Leftist Newspapers and Periodicals (1845-2015)*, Los Angeles Sentinel (1934-2010), Los Angeles Times (1881-1999), Louisville Defender (1951-2010), Michigan Chronicle (1939-2010), Minneapolis Star Tribune (1867-2001)*, New York Amsterdam News (1922-2010), New York Times (1851-2019), New York Tribune / Herald Times (1841-1962), Norfolk Journal and Guide (1916-2010), Philadelphia Inquirer (1860-2001)*, Philadelphia Tribune (1912-2010), Pittsburgh Courier (1911-2010), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (1786-2003)*, The Scotsman (1817-1950), Times of India (1838-2010), Vermont Collection, Wall Street Journal (1889-2011), Washington Post (1877-2007) *=available through June 30, 2024, unlimited users have access to this material. Continued access beyond that date is not guaranteed and is subject to a purchase decision by the UConn Library.
• Manuscript Women's Letters and Diaries Includes personal writings of women of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, displayed as high-quality images of the original manuscripts.
• Popular Culture in Britain and America, 1950-1975 Includes manuscripts, images, and video content highlighting popular culture from 1950-1975.
• Revolution and Protest Online Includes scholarly books and articles, documentary films and interviews covering revolutions, protests, and social movements from the French Revolution to the Arab Spring.
• Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600-2000 Includes books, images, essays, book and website reviews, and other primary sources covering various women's and social movements between 1600-2000.
• Black Freedom Struggle in the United States: A Selection of Primary Sources Select primary source documents related to critical people and events in African American history. Contains approximately 1,600 documents focused on different phases of Black Freedom.
• Connecticut Digital Archives Wide range of digital resources for scholars, students and the general public from UConn, the Connecticut State Library and other Connecticut institutions and agencies in Connecticut.
• Library of Congress Digital Collections 339 digital collections from the Library of Congress; includes photos, manuscripts, audio, film, and more.
• Primary Source Sets (Digital Public Library) Primary source collections exploring topics in history, literature, and culture developed by educators

Library Search finds items in the UConn Library Collection

Search Using Primary Document-Related Terms

Add words that identify types of primary sources. These are often part of the Subject Heading , a search option in Advanced Search.  These terms may include:

In the Advanced Search, type your topic on the 1st line. On the 2nd line, change the Any field drop-down to Subject and use of the the subject headings that specify primary sources.

Search Using Date

Narrow your search to the year of publication to find contemporary materials.

Search Using Author

Search a person's name as an author (changing the Any field drop-down to Author ).  Search by author, not as a subject or keyword, as that will find materials about the person, not works by the person.

Examples of Primary and Secondary Sources

Caption: Fugazi Playing the Anthrax Club, Joe Snow Punk Rock Collection. Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Library. Caption: Dunn, K. (2008). Never mind the bollocks: The punk rock politics of global communication. Review of International Studies, 34(S1), 193-210.

It's All About Context

There is nothing that definitively makes a source "primary" or "secondary" - it's all about the relationship between your research topic and the source material .  The same source can be a primary source OR a secondary source, depending on how you are studying it.

For example, Stephen Oates' 1977 biography of Abraham Lincoln, With Malice Toward None: A Life Of Abraham Lincoln , could be considered a

• Secondary Source, if you are studying the life of Lincoln
• Primary Source, if you are studying texts accused of plagiarism

Check Yourself!

Identifying Primary and Secondary Sources for Humanities

Test your ability to identify items as primary or secondary sources in this quick, interactive exercise!

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History Guide

• Searching Library Databases
• Browsing Areas
• Tertiary Sources

What is a Monograph?

The scholarly monograph is one of the principal forms of communicating scholarly research in history. A monograph is a book (or eBook) that focuses on a single specific topic, and is usually written by a single author. Monographs in history seek to answer a question through the use of extensive historical evidence while contributing to the broader historiography of the topic they address.

Theses & Dissertations

Theses and dissertations can be good sources of information, especially if the author has not yet published their research in a monograph. You can search for UF theses and dissertations in either the library catalog or Institutional Repository. For dissertations and theses from around the world, check out ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global . You can also use WorldCat to locate dissertations and theses.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources are works that analyze, interpret, and synthesize information from a combination of primary sources and other secondary sources. These can include:

• Journal articles
• Conference papers
• Dissertations and Theses
• Scholarly monographs

Popular sources, such as magazines articles, newspaper articles, and history websites can also be secondary sources, but they are geared toward a broad, general audience. Popular sources have not undergone peer review, and typically they do not have citations. You should generally avoid using popular sources for your assignments unless you are using them as primary sources.

Secondary sources can sometimes also be primary sources. For example, Winston Churchill's A History of the English-Speaking Peoples published in 1956 is a secondary source if you are using it for research on British history prior to the twentieth century. However, for understanding British national identity in the mid-twentieth century, it would serve as a primary source.

Locating Secondary Sources

To do a broad search that includes monographs, articles, dissertations, and other secondary source materials, you can use the Primo Search tool. This will search a combination of materials owned by UF and materials available through our database subscriptions.

• Searching "Everything" will return results with both physical and electronic items.
• Searching "UF Library Catalog" will exclude items from our subscription databases.
• Searching "Statewide Catalog" will expand your search to include items owned by other Florida colleges and universities.
• Searching "Articles" will limit your search results to contents from our subscription databases.

To do a more focused search of electronic materials, you can search individual databases. You can access these by searching the A-Z Databases list.

The following databases provide access to a wide range of eBooks and journal articles on history :

• BrowZine This link opens in a new window
• JSTOR This link opens in a new window
• Academic OneFile This link opens in a new window more... less... FCLA funded
• ProQuest Ebook Central This link opens in a new window
• Oxford Academic This link opens in a new window
• Cambridge Core This link opens in a new window
• Digitalia eJournals This link opens in a new window
• Digitalia eBooks This link opens in a new window

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Search for books, articles, media and more

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Search the Library Website

Looking for a book, article, database or something else for your research, primary sources.

A  primary source  is an  original  document containing  firsthand  information about a topic.

Different fields of study may use different types of primary sources. Common examples of a primary source are:

• Autobiographies
• Eyewitness Accounts
• Interview Transcripts
• Legal Documents
• Original works of art
• Photographs of the topic
• Original Research
• Video Footage of the topic event
• Works of literature

Secondary Sources

A  secondary source  contains commentary on or discussion about a primary source. The most important feature of secondary sources is that they offer an  interpretation  of information gathered from primary sources.

Common examples of a secondary source are:

• Biographies
• Indexes, Abstracts, Bibliographies (used to locate a secondary source)
• Journal Articles
• Literary Criticism
• Monographs written about the topic
• Reviews of books, movies, musical recordings,. works of art, etc.

Primary vs. Secondary Information

Primary sources are first hand sources; secondary sources are second-hand sources. For example, suppose there had been a car accident. The description of the accident which a witness gives to the police is a primary source because it comes from someone who was actually there at the time. The next day's newspaper story is a secondary source because the reporter who wrote the story did not actually witness the event.  The reporter is presenting a way of understanding the accident or an interpretation.

*From North Park University, History Department

However , the distinctions between primary and secondary sources can be ambiguous. It is important to remember that you cannot determine whether a source is primary or secondary solely based on the document type. An individual document may be a primary source in one context and a secondary source in another. For example, the movie  Love, Marilyn  is a secondary source when the topic is Marilyn Monroe; it would be considered a primary source if the topic of research was the works of Liz Garbus (the film's director).

Additionally, time can be a defining element. For example, a recent newspaper article is not usually a primary source; but a newspaper article from the 1860’s may be a primary source for United States Civil War research.

*From CBB Library and IT Consortium

Examples of Primary and Secondary Sources

Sometimes, the same source might be a primary source for one research paper and a secondary source for another. It all depends on the relationship of the source to your research question. For example, if you are researching Franklin Roosevelt's life, the book  No ordinary time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The home front in World War II  by Doris Kearns Goodwin would be a secondary source. If you were researching the literary style of Ms. Goodwin, it would be a primary source.

*From Joyner Library, East Carolina University

More on Primary Sources

This resource is included in these playlists, still have questions.

Guide to Historical Research: Secondary Sources

• Catalog Search
• Evaluating Sources
• Citing Sources

What Is a Secondary Source?

Secondary sources are written by someone who was not present during the event or condition under discussion. Authors of secondary sources use primary sources or other secondary sources to gather their information.

When doing historical research, it is important to distinguish between  primary  and  secondary  sources.

" Primary sources provide first-hand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic under investigation. They are created by witnesses or recorders who experienced the events or conditions being documented. Often these sources are created at the time when the events or conditions are occurring, but primary sources can also include autobiographies, memoirs, and oral histories recorded later. Primary sources are characterized by their content, regardless of whether they are available in original format, in microfilm/microfiche, in digital format, or in published format." ( What Are Primary Sources? Yale University)

For information about finding primary source materials, see the Finding Primary Sources for Historical Research user guide.

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Library Research Guide for History

• Secondary Sources
• Newsletter February 2024
• Exploring Your Topic
• HOLLIS (and other) Catalogs

Secondary Sources: Basic Resources

Searching secondary sources full text, secondary sources: additional resources, periodical indexes: by country/region.

• Document Collections/Microfilm
• Outline of Primary Sources for History
• Finding Online Sources: Detailed Instructions
• Religious Periodicals
• Personal Writings/Speeches
• Oral History and Interviews
• News Sources
• Archives and Manuscripts
• Government Archives (U.S.)
• U.S. Government Documents
• Foreign Government & International Organization Documents
• French Legislative Debates/Documents
• State and City Documents
• Historical Statistics/Data
• GIS Mapping
• Public Opinion
• City Directories
• Policy Literature, Working Papers, Think Tank Reports (Grey Literature)
• Technical Reports (Grey Literature)
• Country Information
• Corporate Annual Reports
• US Elections
• Travel Writing/Guidebooks
• Missionary Records
• Reference Sources
• Harvard Museums
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• Citing Sources & Organizing Research
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• Exploring Special Collections at Harvard
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America: History and Life  (1955- ) includes books, book chapters, journal art icles, and book reviews for North American history.

Historical Abstracts  (1954- ) includes books, book chapters, journal articles (but not book reviews) for non-North American history, 1450-date.

Oxford Bibliographies Online  are literature guides in several humanities and social sciences areas.  Oxford Bibliographies by subject

When you have an old reference, use it to find more recent works with the Web of Science Citation Indexes .

If you find an online bibliography (Search in Google, say, "Civil War" Medicine Bibliography), run interesting books or articles through the  Web of Science  [Covers: science, 1900- ; social science, 1900- ; arts/humanities, 1975- .]  Cited Reference Search .  This search gives you more recent articles (or books, 2005- ) citing a particular book or article, and which may be available via HOLLIS.

Open Cited Reference Search.  Put your author in the first box (initials only): Harris E.  Specify the work with its date, not its title (Titles are abbreviated variously).  Select the pertinent records, which are largely unordered, in the results screen.  Searching a common name will yield numerous irrelevant results.  Finish search. A guide is available:  Searching the Citation Indexes (Web of Science) .

Several online collections of secondary sources are full text searchable.  Records for articles in them are in HOLLIS, but if you have a specific topic, say a person’s name or organization, these databases may give you online books or articles containing them.

ACLS Humanities E-Book Project  includes over 2200 largely history titles. Largely 1950-1999, some earlier, later.  Browsable and searchable by LC Subject Heading.

Arts & Humanities Full Text  offers about 500 journals and magazines

Cambridge University Press . To search within specific subjects, start from "Browse subjects" (an option in the top nav bar). If you hit a paywall, search for the title in HOLLIS; it's likely that Harvard has licensed the item via a different platform.

JSTOR  offers full-text of the full runs of scholarly journals from a range of disciplines. Harvard's subscription does not include the JSTOR books. There is often a "moving wall" excluding recent issues.  Advanced search is best

Latin American History Collection eBooks  offers full text of monographs on Latin American history, mostly published in Spain

CAIRN (2001- ) is a searchable collection of French-language ejournals for the humanities and social sciences.

Periodicals Archive Online  contains several hundred English and Western European language journals from their inceptions to 1995 or 2005.  Limit to historical journals by adjusting Journal Subject(s) menu to History (General) or History  (various regional categories), although this will exclude historical articles in non-history journals

Project Muse  offers full-text of scholarly journals and books. Primarily humanities and social sciences.

UPSO: University Press Scholarship Online

Torrossa: Casalini offers full text of books and journals in humanities and social sciences from Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese publishers.

Digitalia Française  is a collection of French language ebooks.

Digitalia Catalan ,  Digitalia Hispanica  and  Digitalia Portuguesa  are e-book collections.

L'Harmatheque  offers ebooks, articles, videos, and audio recordings in the humanities and social sciences from a variety of French publishing imprints.  Contains over 26,000 ebooks, 17,000 articles, 400 films, and 600 audio files. At least 2,300 new titles are added to the collection annually.

Zentrales Verzeichnis Digitalisierter Drucke  (ZVDD) is the German national portal for digitized scholarly imprints. Searches easily limited by century of publication.

Leo S. Olschki eBooks Collection: Post 2000 (2000-2010) includes over 1,000 monographs and conference proceedings published by Leo S.Olschki covering humanities and social sciences. Strongest in Italian literature, history, and philosophy.

Bibliographies

Dissertations

Main General Sources

Other General Sources and Special Topics

Early Modern

• By Country/Region

Look for specialized subject bibliographies which may include secondary sources in the  HOLLIS Catalog : Search, e.g., < "science and state" [Keyword search] AND bibliography [Subject Keyword search] > on Advanced Search screen or in  WorldCat .

Finding Dissertations and Theses

Periodical Indexes

America: History and Life  (1955- ) includes books, book chapters, journal art icles, and book reviews.

Historical Abstracts (1954- ) includes books, book chapters, journal articles (but not book reviews) for non-North American history, 1450-date.

Web of Science Citation Indexes allow citation searching, that is, starting with an article of interest and finding more recent articles that have cited it. Covers: science, 1900- ; social science, 1900- ; arts/humanities, 1975- . More information .

JSTOR offers full-text of complete runs (up to about 5 years ago) of over 1900 journals. Allows simultaneous or individual searching, full-text searching optional, of many historical journals. Included journals are listed under discipline on the Advanced Search page. Harvard does not have access to the JSTOR full text books.

Periodicals Index Online  (PIO) indexes over 5500 English and Western European language journals from their inceptions to 1995. Includes 218 journals in American history and 840 journals in world history . Also numerous journals in related subjects. Limit to historical journals by adjusting Journal Subject(s) menu to History (General) or History (The Americas), although this will exclude historical articles in non-history journal s. Includes book reviews. PIO searches full text Periodicals Archive Online  (PAO)which contains a, roughly 700 journal subset  of the journals in PIO.  PAO extends to 2000, and to 2005 for recently added journals.

Bibliographie internationale de la demographie historique (1978- ) offers references with brief annotations arranged by subject classification, with author, chronological, and geographical indexes. LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC HB871.B52x

C.R.I.S.: the combined retrospective index set to journals in history (1838 -1974) indexes historical articles in over 900 journals. World history in vols. 1-4; United States history in vols. 5-9; author index in vols. 10-11. LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC D20.Z99 C65 1977x Library has: 11 v.

Current bibliography of urban history (1974- ) is published in Urban history (1992- ) and previously in Urban history yearbook (1974-91) . LOCATION: Loeb Design: Per LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC HT101.U675 Current Issues: Periodicals Reading Room Stacks LOCATION: Loeb Design: NAC 210g85 Ur 1 1974-79 (Urban history yearbook ) LOCATION: Widener: Soc 574.143.30 (Urban history yearbook )

Historische Bibliographie (1986- ) covers the Ancient world through twentieth century. Largely European: small section for Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Includes monographs, journal articles, and articles in collective works. LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC D20.Z99 H575x LOCATION: Widener: XVTS 38 CD-ROM, 1990-96

International bibliography of historical sciences (1926- ) is a classified, selected bibliography of historical works, including book reviews, on history, broadly defined. Volume (15) for 1940-1946 has not appeared. LOCATION: Widener: RR 3601.22 Latest 5 years WID-LC D20.Z99 I58x Earlier

JSTOR allows simultaneous or individual searching, full-text searching optional, of several historical journals from their inceptions to about 5 years ago. JSTOR provides a list of included History journals.

Mariner's mirror bibliography (1983- ) lists books and articles on maritime history. LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC VK145.Z99 M37x

International Medieval Bibliography .

Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index .

Iter Bibliography covers Medieval and Renaissance studies literature, including journal articles (some since 1794), essays, books, and dissertations.

Bibliographie annuelle du moyen-âge tardif , 1991- .

Medioevo latino , 1980- . Medioevo latino (CD-ROM version).

Index of Medieval manuscripts allows location of references to specific medieval manuscripts in secondary works.

Archiv fur Reformationsgeschichte. Beiheft, Literaturbericht (1972- ) includes general as well as religious history. LOCATION: Andover-Harv. Theol: Ref. Z7830.A7 LOCATION: Widener: C 7525.14.5 LOCATION: Widener: C 7525.14.6

Bibliografia italiana di studi sull'umanesimo ed il Rinascimento (1989- ). Bibliographies for 1985-88 were published in the journal, Rinascimento , 2nd ser. vols. 26-29. LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC DG533.Z99 B53x LOCATION: Widener: Ital 370.77 ( Rinascimento )

Bibliographie internationale de l'Humanisme et de la Renaissance (1965- ) is an annual bibliography of books and articles on all aspects of the 15th and 16th centuries. There is about a 4 year delay in publication. Print version: LOCATION: Andover-Harv. Theol: Ref. D228.B52 LOCATION: Fine Arts: RFA 246.8 LOCATION: Widener: H 680.7 .

Iter: Gateway to the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The Journals Bibliography contains over 100,000 records for periodical articles in over 200 journals dating 1700 to the present. Includes book reviews.

Literature of the Renaissance (1953-1968) emphasizes literature but with general and historical material as well. Subject classification with index of proper names. LOCATION: Widener: Lit 305.50 (1953-1968 incomplete)

Continues Recent literature of the Renaissance. In: Studies in Philology (April issue), 1939-53. LOCATION: Lamont: Periodicals LOCATION: Widener: Philol 344.5

Eighteenth century , 1975- . LOCATION: Widener: RR 3603.8 Latest WID-LC CB411.E333x Earlier

Continues: Eighteenth century: A current bibliography. In: Philological quarterly , 1926-1974. LOCATION: Lamont: Periodicals LOCATION: Widener: Philol 346.6 LOCATION: Widener: Philol 346.6.2 Cumulated in: English literature, 1660-1800; a bibliography of modern studies. LOCATION: Child Memorial: ChM 1003.12.5 Library has: v.1-4 LOCATION: Lamont: REF.ROOM PR83.Z99 E53x 1950 Library has: 6 v. LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC PR437.Z99 E53x Library has: 6 v. LOCATION: Widener: 10441.474 Library has: v.1-2; 1926-50

Bibliographie zur Zeitgeschichte (1953-2009) covers twentieth century world history, but focus is strongly on Germany and the World Wars in Europe. LOCATION: History Dept: Ordered--currently received LOCATION: Law School: ILS D 410.V5 Suppl. 1954- LOCATION: Widener: HP1.4 v.1-30 HP144.2 v.31-36 LOCATION: WID-LC D421.Z99B53x v.37-

Cumulated in: Bibliographie zur Zeitgeschichte , 1953-1980. LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC D421.Z99 B52 x, 1982 Library has: 5 v. v. 4 Supplement, -1989 v. 5 Supplement, -1995

Scandinavia

• UK/Commonwealth

Latin America

Middle East

United States

Africa-Wide: NiPAD (NISC) (19th century- ) includes 40 African studies databases

For more sources see Finding Periodical Articles and Book Reviews on Africa

Bibliography of Asian Studies (1971- ) indexes humanities and social sciences literature on East, Southeast, and South Asia. Monographs published since 1992 are not included.

More indexes in: East Asian Studies Research Guide: 4. Journal Literature Finding Periodical Articles and Book Reviews on South and Southeast Asia

See also the reference guides listed under Conducting Research on the Harvard Yenching website .

European National Historical Bibliographies

Bibliographie annuelle de l'histoire de France du cinqième siècle à ... (1953- ) is a classified index to French historical writings. LOCATION: Widener: RR 3731.46 Latest 10 years WID-LC DC38.Z99B53x Earlier

Coverage has changed: Volumes for 1953-1963 cover "cinqième siècle à 1939". Volumes for 1964-1974 cover "cinqième siècle à 1945". Volumes for 1975-current cover "cinqième siècle à 1958". For earlier articles see: Repertoire bibliographique de l'histoire de France . LOCATION: Widener: RR 3731.45 Library has: 1-6, 1920-1931 Repertoire methodique de l'histoire moderne et contemporaine de la France . LOCATION: Widener: RR 3731.43 Library has: 1898-1912 Bibliographie des travaux publies de 1866 a 1897 sur l'histoire de la France de 1500 à 1789 , by E. Saulnier. LOCATION: Widener: RR 3731.42 Library has: v. 1-2 in 1 Bibliographie des travaux publies de 1866 a 1897 sur l'histoire de la France depuis 1789 , by P. Caron. LOCATION: Microforms (Lamont): Harvard Depository Film W 16971 LOCATION: Widener: Harvard Depository XP 6 LOCATION: Widener: RR 3731.42.5

Bibliographie en langue francaise d'histoire du droit (1957- ) is a bibliography of books and periodical articles on French social history from 987 to 1875. LOCATION: Law School: FRA 020 LEP 1960-94 LOCATION: Widener: Fr 55.102 .

Bibliographie générale des travaux historiques et archéologiques: publiés par les sociétés savantes de la France . Paris: Imprimerie nationale, 1885-1918. 6 v. Google Books (v 2 & 4 only) Full text in Hathi Trust   (6 v.) Location : Widener WID-LC DC17.Z99 L37 1888x --Contents : t. 1. Ain-Gironde -- t. 2. Hérault-Haute-Savoie -- t. 3. Seine: Paris -- t. 4. Seine: Paris. Seine-et-Marne-Yonne. Colonies. Instituts francais à l’étranger -- t. 5. Supplement. Ain-Savoie (Haute-) -- t. 6. Supplement. Seine: Paris. Seine-et-Marne-Yonne. Colonies. Instituts français à l’étranger. Index des volumes analysés dans les tomes I à VI. Vols. 1-4 cover the literature published to the year 1885; v. 5-6, 1886-1900.

Continued by: Bibliographie générale des travaux historiques et archéologiques publiés par les sociétés savantes de la France: période 1910-1940 , by René Gandilhon and Charles Samaran. Paris: Impr. nationale, 1944-1961. 5 v. Google Books v. 2 only Full text in Hathi Trust   (5 v.) Widener | Harvard Depository HOLLIS Record

Bibliographie zur Zeitgeschichte (1953- ) covers twentieth century world history, but focus is strongly on Germany and the World Wars in Europe. LOCATION: History Dept: Ordered--currently received LOCATION: Law School: ILS D 410.V5 Suppl. 1954- LOCATION: Widener: HP1.4 v.1-30 HP144.2 v.31-36 WID-LC D421.Z99B53x v.37-

Cumulated in: Bibliographie zur Zeitgeschichte , 1953-1980. LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC D421.Z99 B52 x, 1982 Library has: 3 v. Available online from 1996 to present . Adjust the menu of one field to Bibliogr. z. Zeitgesch. About the Bibliographie zur Zeitgeschichte .  Note some of the links in this article do not work

Jahresberichte für deutsche geschichte (1925-40, 1949- ) is a list of new publications on German history. Covers Antiquity through World War II. The online version of Jahresberichte für deutsche Geschichte  includes from 1974 forward. Issues from 1925-1938 are also available online . LOCATION: Widener: Ger 55.64.15

Continues: Jahresberichte der Geschichtswissenschaft , 1878-1913. LOCATION: Microforms (Lamont): Film SC 416 Microfilm. 1.-36. Jahrg. (1878-1913) LOCATION: Widener: H 8.78.3 About the Jahresberichte für deutsche geschichte .

Writings on Irish history (1984- ) lists citations by author under major chronological periods. LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC DA910.Z99.W75x (1984- ) LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC DA910.Z99 C85 1986x (1984: with addenda from 1973-84) LOCATION: Microforms (Lamont): Microfiche S 407 (1979-82)

Bibliografia storica nazionale , 1939- HOLLIS Record Print 1939-1999, Online 2000-2008.

Bibliografia anual de historia de Portugal: da prehistoria a 1974 . LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC DP538.Z99 B53x (1989-91)

Svensk historisk bibliografi (1977- ; strongest 1994- ) indexes monographs and collections, articles in periodicals and collections, and book reviews. An English version is available.

ABSEES (American Bibliography of Slavic and East European Studies) (Late 1980s-)

European Bibliography of Slavic and East European Studies (EBSEES), 1991-2007.

Continues: European bibliography of Soviet, East European and Slavonic studies . Paris: Editions de l'Ecole des hautes études en sciences sociales, Institut d'études slaves. Fung Library | Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies | DJK 9.Z99 E97 x Widener | WID-LC | DJK 9.Z99 E97x

Bibliografía española de revistas científicas de ciencias sociales y humanidades (1995- ) is a CD-ROM LOCATION: Widener: Harvard Depository

Continues: Indice espanol de humanidades. Serie B, Ciencias historicas , 1989-1997. LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC D20.Z99 I53x Which continues: Indice espanol de humanidades , 1976-88. LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC AS1.I5

Indice historico espanol , 1953- . LOCATION: History Dept: Hist 44.200 LOCATION: Widener: RR3761.6 Latest 5 years WID-LC DP66.Z99 I53x Earlier Online version

For earlier articles see:

Fuentes de la historia espanola e hispanoamericana: ensayo de bibliografia sistematica de impresos y manuscritos que ilustran la historia politica de Espana y sus antiguas provincias de ultramar , by B. Sanchez Alonso. 1952. LOCATION: History Dept: Hist 1300.507 Library has: 3 v. LOCATION: Widener: RR 3761. 4 Library has: 3 v. in 2

UK and Commonwealth

Bibliography of British and Irish History is a comprehensive bibliography of books and periodical articles on British and British colonial history. Most historical society publications were excluded. Includes Writings on British history (1901-1974; Widener: WID-LC DA30.Z99 W75x) but excludes its book reviews (1901-1947). More information from Institute of Historical Research and Royal Historical Society .

Index to journal articles on Australian history for 1979 [-1988]. LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC DU110.Z99 C75 x 1981, etc. LOCATION: Widener: Harvard Depository DU110.Z99 C74 x, 1981 (for 1974-78) LOCATION: Widener: Harvard Depository DU110.Z99 H63x (through 1973)

Victorian Database Online (1945- ) emphasizes literature but also covers other aspects of Victorian culture and society in Britain and in the colonies where publications concern political/administrative subjects or relationships with Great Britain. Covers approx. 1830-1914. Includes books, articles, and book reviews.

In printed form: Cumulative bibliography of Victorian studies , 1985-99 LOCATION: Widener: RR 3703.19.25.1 Which continues: A Comprehensive bibliography of Victorian studies , 1970-84. LOCATION: Widener: RR 3703.19.25.05 Library has: 3 v.

Victorian bibliography (1932- ) is a selective, classified bibliography, with author and subject index, on all aspects of the Victorian period. Published in the journal Victorian studies , 1958- . LOCATION: Widener: Br 22.5 Current Issues: Periodicals Reading Room

Cumulated in: Bibliographies of studies in Victorian literature , 1932-1984: LOCATION: Child Memorial: ChM 1047.1 [1945-54] LOCATION: Lamont: PR731.Z99 T4x [1932-44] LOCATION: Widener: 10441.350 [1932-44] LOCATION: Widener: RR 3115.26 [1932-84]

Handbook of Latin American studies (1936- ) is a comprehensive annotated bibliography. Not every subject occurs in each volume. Since 1963, social science and humanities are issued in alternate years. A topical article is included in each volume. Also available in print: LOCATION: Gutman Education: Z1605.I123 1963-1971 LOCATION: Lamont: REF.ROOM F1408.Z99 H23x Latest fifteen years only LOCATION: Tozzer: REF F 1401.Z99 H3 1936- . LOCATION: Widener: RR3653.4 Latest ten years only LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC F1408.Z99 H36x Earlier

HAPI, Hispanic American periodicals index (1970- ) indexes most Latin American periodicals in full, and articles on Latin America and U. S. Hispanics from periodicals worldwide. Includes book reviews. Also available in print: LOCATION: Tozzer: REF F 1408.H3 LOCATION: Widener: RR 663.219 & 663.221.

For more sources see Finding Periodical Articles and Book Reviews on Latin America

Index Islamicus (1906- ) indexes publications in European languages on all aspects of Islam and the Muslim world. It covers journals, series, conference proceedings, monographs, multi-authored works, and book reviews.

For earlier and supplementary material: Index Islamicus, 1665-1905: a bibliography of articles on Islamic subjects in periodicals and other collective publications , by W. H. Behn. LOCATION: Andover-Harv. Theol: Ref. DS44.I36 LOCATION: Fine Arts: Reading Room RFA31.60 LOCATION: Gibb Islamic: DS35.6.Z99 I518 x, 1989 LOCATION: Law School: Islamic Reference DS 44.Z99 I525x 1989 LOCATION: Widener: RR 4881.10.9

Index Islamicus supplement 1665-1980. Bio-bibliographical supplement to Index Islamicus , by W. H. Behn, 1665-1980; 2 pts. LOCATION: Fine Arts: Reading Room RFA31.60.7 LOCATION: Gibb Islamic: DS35.6.Z99 B45 1995x LOCATION: Law School: Islamic Reference DS 44.Z99 I5252x 1995 LOCATION: Widener: RR 4881.10.5

America: History and Life (1955- ) includes books, book chapters, journal articles, and book reviews.

Bibliography of American historical societies (the United States and the dominion of Canada) gives contents of their proceedings and other publications with a subject index. HathiTrust Version HOLLIS Record

Classified bibliography of the periodical literature of the trans-Mississippi West (1811-1957). Classified by subject with author index. No subject index. LOCATION: Widener: Soc 501.461 vol.19 LOCATION: Widener: Soc 501.461 vol.26 A supplement (1957-67), 1970

Cumulated magazine subject index (1907-1949) indexes periodicals not included in other indexes. Good for history, especially local history, outdoor subjects, library science (1918-49), and fine arts. Arranged by subject, except for literary works by major authors, which are listed by author. Minor literary works are omitted. LOCATION: Widener: RR 663. 3.5 F Library has: 2 v.

Periodical source index (1986- ) indexes genealogical periodicals. LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC CS1.P47 (1986-1997)

Retrospective edition: Periodical source index, 1847-1985 covers the United States (fiche 1-20), non-U.S. (fiche 21-23), and families (fiche 24-40). Location :  Microforms (Lamont) Microfiche W 5296 Location :  Widener WID-LC CS9.Z99 P47 1988x (vol. 17 only)

Writings on American history (1902-1990) is a classified bibliography of books (through 1973 only) and articles (book reviews included through 1940). Author, title, and subject indexes. None issued for 1904-1905 and 1941-1947. There is a cumulative index for 1902-1940. Canada was included through 1935. The years 1962-1973 are cumulated in 4 v. Note the lists of periodicals cited for coverage. Contains many items not in America, History and Life, especially those appearing in local publications. HOLLIS Record HathiTrust Version (Full text 1902-1990)

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Harvard University Digital Accessibility Policy

HIST 150: History Through Objects: The Atlantic World

• Introduction
• In This Session (3/7/24)
• What's Left Behind
• Your Library: Overview of Services
• Primary VS Secondary Sources
• What is Peer Review?
• Types of Sources
• What is a "Good" Secondary Source?
• Historical Statistics
• Finding Encyclopedias
• Boolean (AND OR NOT)
• Article Tips
• How to order articles we don't own?
• Analyzing, Summarizing, and Critiquing an Article
• Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Publications
• Worldcat: Accessing books we don't own
• Analyzing, Summarizing, and Critiquing a Book
• Getting Started with Secondary Sources
• Difficulty with primary sources
• Why so many databases?
• Key Databases
• Annotated Bibliographies
• Stuck or need help? No problem!

Guide to Finding Search Terms for Secondary Sources

• Guide to finding keywords in secondary research

What is a secondary source?

A Secondary source is a work written about an event or person  after  it has taken place. Some examples:

• Academic Article
• Most websites
• Media depictions (ex. films)
• Documentaries
• Reinactments

Types of Secondary Sources

In Academe, we are especially interested in a specific  type  of secondary source: Peer Reviewed Publications.

But what's the difference between scholarly, peer reviewed, popular, or refereed? Scholarly : A source written by an expert, but not subjected to the peer review process.  Example: magazine articles (if written by expert), public presentations, reviews, opinion pieces. Refereed : Academic work that has some level of vetting, usually by an editor or panel.  Example: Conference papers, journal articles that are approved by an editor but not external reviewers. NOTE: refereed is often used interchangeably with Peer Reviewed by databases, but it isn't always the same. Popular : Written for a wide readership. May or may not be written by a subject expert. Examples: newspaper or magazine, popular press books, websites. Peer Reviewed : Academic books and articles written by a specialist, reviewed by other experts, and published by an academic press. Examples: Articles in academic journals, some conference papers, books published  by university presses.

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Libraries | Research Guides

Primary sources/secondary sources, what is a primary source, primary source examples.

• Secondary Sources
• Finding Primary Sources
• Library Primary Resources

Need more help?

Primary sources provide the raw data you use to support your arguments. Some common types of primary resources include manuscripts, diaries, court cases, maps, data sets, experiment results, news stories, polls, or original research.  In many cases what makes a primary resource is contextual.  For example, a biography about Abraham Lincoln is a secondary resource about Lincoln. However, if examined as a piece of evidence about the nature of biographical writing, or as an example of the biographer's writing method it becomes a primary resource.

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Historiography

• Getting Started
• Reference Sources
• Primary Sources by Topics
• Primary Sources by Region

General Databases

Specialized databases, secondary sources in jumbosearch.

• Citing Your Sources

Secondary Sources

What is a secondary source?

 A secondary source is a scholarly discussion based on primary sources. Typically, a secondary source contains original research.

Why should I use secondary sources?

Secondary sources are useful for in-depth analysis of your topic and for learning about scholarly perspectives on your topic. You can use a secondary source as a conversation partner about a topic or you can take the methodology from a secondary source an apply it to a new research question.

What are some examples of secondary sources?

Secondary sources include articles, blogs, books (often called monographs), lectures, podcasts, and scientific reports. Any kind of scholarly liter can be a secondary source.

Pro tip:  Although the distinction between primary sources and secondary sources is useful, it is not absolute. A secondary source may become a primary source depending on the researcher's perspective. Consider a textbook on American history from the 1990's. If a researcher uses the textbook for a scholarly perspective on the civil rights movement, then it is a secondary source. However, if the researcher uses the textbook to as evidence of curriculum in the 1990's, then it is a primary soruce.

• Academic Search Premier Multidisciplinary | Abstracts and full-text content
• Arts & Humanities Citation Index Multidisciplinary | Abstracts and index
• Arts & Humanities Database Multidisciplinary | Abstracts and full-text content
• Essay and General Literature Index Multidisciplinary | Index of essays
• JSTOR Multidisciplinary | Abstracts and full-text content
• America: History & Life History | Focus on North America | Abstracts and full-text content
• Anthropology Plus Anthropology | Abstracts and full-text content
• ATLA Religion Religious studies | Abstracts and full-text content
• Historical abstracts History | Excludes North America | Abstracts and full-text content
• Index Islamicus Multidisciplinary | Focus on Islam and the Muslim World | Abstracts and index
• Middle East and Africa Database Multidisciplinary | Focus on Middle East and Africa | Abstracts and full-text content
• Sociological Abstracts Sociology | Abstracts and full-text content

Searching by Subject Terms

Books in the library catalog are tagged with subject terms to help patrons find books on specific topics. Here is a list of suggested subject terms to use in JumboSearch:

• Historians -- Biography
• Historiography -- History
• Historiography -- Methodology
•   Historiography -- Political aspects
•  Historiography -- Social aspects
• Note: you can replace "India" in this example with names of other countries
• Middle Ages -- Historiography
• Nationalism and historiography
•   Social history
• World history -- Historiography
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• URL: https://researchguides.library.tufts.edu/historiography

Primary and Secondary Sources

• Primary Sources
• Finding Primary Sources

Primary vs. Secondary Sources

• Scholarly Sources
• Finding Secondary (and Scholarly) Sources

A  secondary source  is one that was created later by someone that did not experience firsthand or participate in the events in which the author is writing about. Secondary sources often summarize, interpret, analyze or comment on information found in primary sources.

Common examples of secondary sources include:

• Biographies
• Literary Criticism
• Journal articles that do not present new research
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• URL: https://library.uhv.edu/sources
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Secondary Sources: Definition and Examples

Secondary sources are works that analyze, interpret, or merely describe historical or scientific events. They’re written based on firsthand accounts without being firsthand accounts themselves. Secondary sources draw on the data and experiences from primary sources to reassess the information and draw conclusions by combining them with information from other sources. 

Because primary sources aren’t always accessible to everyone, secondary sources often provide a simpler and consolidated version of the same vital information. Below, we give a more precise definition of secondary sources and explain how to use them in academic writing , along with a list of examples of secondary sources.  Give your writing extra polish Grammarly helps you communicate confidently Write with Grammarly

What are secondary sources?

Unlike primary sources, which are created by people with firsthand experience in a topic, secondary sources analyze, interpret, and describe the firsthand accounts of other people to make them more accessible or to give context to an event. If a historian translates an ancient Egyptian diary and writes a book about what they discovered, the actual diary is an example of a primary source, and the historian’s book is an example of a secondary source. 

Although primary sources are more reliable and authoritative, secondary sources are just as essential to scientific and educational communities. Not everyone has access to primary sources, and even if they do, they might not be able to make sense of them (for example, if the source is written in a dead language or includes data sets). Secondary sources repackage the primary source’s key information in a way that’s both easier to understand and capable of mass production to reach more people. 

Moreover, creators of secondary sources are often specialists themselves, so they’re able to add new insights that the reader might not have gotten from analyzing the primary source alone. Secondary sources often combine different reference materials to point out connections and patterns, revealing new discoveries that a single primary source alone wouldn’t show. That makes both primary and secondary sources crucial to good research. 

Secondary source examples 

What are secondary sources in the pool of all research materials? Here’s a quick list of the most common types of secondary sources researchers can use: 

• Books aggregating information on a specific topic 
• Educational textbooks
• Thesis papers and dissertations
• Reviews and critiques of artwork
• Biographies ( not autobiographies)
• Reports collecting data from other studies
• Nonpersonal essays and editorials
• Articles that interpret preexisting information, as opposed to breaking news

How to find a secondary source

One of the main advantages of using secondary sources for research is that they’re readily available. It’s much easier to borrow or buy a book about Roman architecture than it is to fly to Italy and look at Roman ruins! 

Secondary sources are abundant, so you can find them in all the popular research hubs, such as libraries , bookstores , news sites , and online databases . Sometimes the problem is they’re too abundant, and you’re not sure which secondary source on a particular subject to choose. Try finding recommendations from experts, like teachers, or reading reviews online to see which secondary sources are best for your topic. 

How to evaluate a secondary source

In addition to determining whether a source is primary or secondary, you also want to evaluate its reliability. People with biases or hidden agendas can misinterpret data from primary sources for their own self-serving goals, so you have to be careful when choosing your sources. 

For starters, check the source’s bibliography . Most secondary sources list their own sources in a bibliography, whereas primary sources don’t need bibliographies because they are the source. The presence of a bibliography is the quickest way to identify a secondary source. 

Another suggestion is to look at the creator; if they’re not directly involved in the events of the topic, it’s a secondary source. Regardless of whether the source is primary or secondary, you should still assess whether the creator is trustworthy. Do some digging to see if they have any motives for falsifying or skewing information or misleading their audience. 

Cross-referencing the information is a good way to test the accuracy of a secondary source. Check to see if the information from the source in question matches what your other, previously verified sources say. 

Lastly, there’s a lot to be said about where you find your secondary sources. School libraries are usually good about filtering out untrustworthy sources, compared to, say, a random website on page seven of your search results. If you’re ever in doubt, check the cited materials in a source’s bibliography.

How to use a secondary source

Though they’re not primary sources, secondary sources still need to be cited properly in research papers . Even if you paraphrase a secondary source instead of copying it word for word, you still need to credit it to avoid plagiarism. 

The way you cite a secondary source depends on the style guide you’re using. The three most common style guides for academics are MLA , APA , and Chicago , and each has its own particular rules and requirements for citing just about  any  kind of source, including  PDFs ,  websites ,  speeches , and  TV shows . . Keep in mind that you must cite your sources both in the text and at the end in the bibliography. 

While all three styles are considered equal, refer to your assignment or course requirements to see which one is preferred. 

Secondary sources FAQs

Secondary sources are analyses, interpretations, or descriptions of events or topics taken from firsthand accounts, but they’re not firsthand accounts themselves. Secondary sources are contrasted to primary sources, which are created by people directly involved. 

Where can you find secondary sources?

Secondary sources are abundant and can be found in libraries, bookstores, news sites, and online databases. 

How do you use secondary sources?

Just like primary sources, secondary sources need to be cited correctly to avoid plagiarism. The rules for proper citation vary depending on which style guide you’re using, typically APA , MLA , or Chicago . 

What are some examples of secondary sources?

The most common examples of secondary sources are books that collect information from various primary sources, including textbooks. Other common examples of secondary sources include biographies (but not autobiographies), art reviews, thesis papers and dissertations, reports that gather data from other studies, and nonpersonal essays. 

ENGLISH 206: Women in Literature

• Primary vs Secondary Sources
• Research Help

Ask A Librarian

About this guide.

This guide explains the differences between primary and secondary sources. Because the definitions can often change depending on the subject you are studying, ask your instructor if you have questions.

Primary Sources

A primary source is a document or piece of evidence written or created during the time period you are studying. A primary source allows you to examine evidence firsthand without being affected by other opinions.

Types of Primary Sources:

• Memos/E-mails
• Speeches (both the text of the speech & the giving of the speech)
• Manuscripts
• Autobiographies
• Laws, legislation, court rulings
• Newspaper & magazine articles as an event happened
• News footage
• Artifacts: buildings, clothes, jewelry, toys, fossils
• Journal articles reporting original research or an experiment
• Official records of governments, agencies, organizations: meeting minutes, reports, vital records (e.g., Census records)
• Creative works: poetry, novels, drama, music, art, photography, movies, scripts, performances
• Technical reports (i.e., accounts of work done on research projects)

Secondary Sources

A secondary source describes or analyzes a primary source. These sources are one step removed from the actual event and allow you to understand what scholars and other experts know about your topic.

Types of Secondary Sources:

• Books or articles that explain or review research works
• Histories and critical commentaries
• Encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference materials
• Newspaper articles, magazine articles, and webpages authored by people who had nothing to do with the actual research
• Journal article that summarizes the results of other researchers' experiments

Comparing Sources: Primary vs. Secondary

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• URL: https://libguides.uwgb.edu/english206

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Biographies

Use a biography when you are looking for facts and accounts about notable people. An autobiography is a biography in which the author writes about his or her own life. Many biographies focus on one person.Some are collective biographies which have information about multiple people. Some collective biographies are subject specific, like a book or series about famous scientists or one about actors.

When do I use a biography? Use a biography when you need the following:

• quick facts about an individual
• in-depth information about an individual
• information about an individual's role in a specific event (e.g., Abraham Lincoln and Emancipation Proclamation)

Where do I find a biography? Look for a biography in the reference or nonfiction sections of your library. Often the books have a call number of 921, 920 (collective), B or Bio, or the number associated with what the individual is noted for (e. g., athletes in 796 or mathematicians in 510). Use your library's online catalog to find the call number by using the person's name in a subject search. Or, enter the topic you are interested in, like athletes or mathematician s, and adding biography as a keyword.  

How is a biography organized? Biographies can be arranged in a variety of ways. Some cover  a person's entire life, and others focus on a significant contribution or event. In the case of collective biographies, a chapter or section will often focus on one individual.

How do I use a print biography? Think about what information you need. Use the table of contents to see how the book is arranged, and use the index to locate the specific pieces of information you need. In a collective biography, the index will list names of individuals and also related topics and events.

The index will be in alphabetical order by main headings (usually in bold print) and subheadings (usually indented):   

How do I use an online biography? Your public or school library might have eBook biographies about the person you are studying. Check the online catalogs or databases. Also, there are websites dedicated to biographical information, like Biography.com and History.com. Browse by topics or use the website's, eBook's, or database's search features. Or, use a search engine to search the Internet for information about your subject.

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