2. TYPES OF PUBLICATIONS
Popular publications
Popular publications contain articles that we
read for personal interest or leisure, not for
academic study.
See the “Popular Example” in the course content
section.

3. TYPES OF PUBLICATIONS
Trade publications
Trade publications fall somewhere in the middle.
These articles usually address a specific
audience or industry. They are still easy to read,
but special knowledge of the industry may be
required to understand them.
See the “Trade Publication” article in the course
content.

4. TYPES OF PUBLICATIONS
 Scholarly publications
Scholarly articles are written and edited by experts and/or
peers in a field of study and are usually required in
academic research assignments.
A scholarly article may also be called ‘peer-reviewed’. You
can find some scholarly publications for free on the
Internet, but the BEST place to find these articles is a
library’s database. They tend to use technical language
and require a better understanding of the topic in order to
comprehend them.
See the “Scholarly Article” example in the
course content.

5. A primary source is a document or physical object which was written or created
during a period of time under study. Some types of primary sources include:
• ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS (excerpts or translations acceptable): diaries,
speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage,
autobiographies, official records
• CREATIVE WORKS: poetry, drama, novels, music, art , photographs
• RELICS OR ARTIFACTS: pottery, furniture, clothing, buildings
Examples of primary sources include:
 The Constitution of the United States
 A journal article reporting NEW research or findings
 Paintings and sculptures
 Plato's Republic
Van Gogh’s Starry Night
PRIMARY SOURCE
Up Next:
Example of a Primary Source: Thor 2 Clip

6. A secondary source interprets and analyzes primary sources. These sources
are one or more steps removed from the event. Secondary sources may
have pictures, quotes or graphics of primary sources in them. Some types
of secondary sources include:
PUBLICATIONS: Textbooks, magazine articles, histories, criticisms,
commentaries, encyclopedias
Examples:
 A journal/magazine article which interprets or reviews previous findings
 A history textbook
 A book about Colin Powell
 An article about Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
 An analysis of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech
SECONDARY SOURCE
Up Next:
Example of a secondary source:
Thor 2 Review

7. “Memes”, or jokes that move through the
internet, frequently start with a primary source
like a picture, quote or video. Then, other users
add, change or comment on the original, which
creates a secondary source.
OTHER EXAMPLES
Primary Secondary Secondary

8. PROS/CONS OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY
SOURCES
Primary Sources Secondary Sources
Pros Cons Pros Cons
Frequently give a
personal perspective
to an event.
Information may be
skewed due to bias, or
personal feelings on
an event.
Provide context to an
event or work.
Were written after the
fact, so information
was not witnessed
firsthand.
Information was
witnessed firsthand.
May not explain the
context of the event or
work specifically.
Provide more
information that may
have happened after
the primary source
was published.
Analyzing data or past
events leaves room for
bias from the
secondary source
author.
The type of information that will work the best for
you will depend on the information need.
Therefore, a “pro” for one source may be a “con”
for another.