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Primary and Secondary Sources for GE Cluster 70
- 1. Primary & Secondary Sources in the Sciences Cluster 70: Evolution of the Cosmos and Life
- 2. “Primary source” •Humanities •Original, first-hand document created during a particular time or event •Sciences •Presents original research •Author(s) conducted the experiment/study
- 3. Primary & Secondary Sources in the Sciences Image Source: http://library.albany.edu/infolit/prisci
- 4. Peer-Reviewed Scientific Articles Research Article Review Presents new data, original research Summarizes or analyzes existing research Research Article
- 5. Figuring out if it’s primary or secondary Tip: Read the abstract of the article!
Editor's Notes
- Primary and secondary sources are slightly different depending on the discipline that you are in. For example, in the humanities, primary sources can be historical documents, or newspaper articles that cover current events during that specific time. In the sciences, primary sources are original research studies. They are trying to answer a question that has not been answered before, so the data that they collect is original and has never been done before. For example, a primary source would be a journal article where scientists describe their research on the human immune system. A secondary source would be an article commenting or analyzing the scientists' research on the human immune system
- There are other types of sources as well, but peer reviewed articles are very common. Also, may find non- peer reviewed interviews, book reviews, technical comments, letters. A research article presents new data and new research. It should clearly outline a hypothesis and detail the experiment that was conducted, then a discussion of the results from that experiment. A review looks at many different primary articles and summarizes them.
- You’ll have to read the abstract of the article very closely to see if the article seems like a unique, original scientific study, or if it is a review of research that has already been done. It can be tricky sometimes, so pay close attention to the language, and ask your instructor, librarian, or embedded inquiry specialist if you’re unsure. Primary Source: outcomes and significance are clearly outlines in the article Things that might tip you off that it is a secondary source: you see the word review (REALLY BIG HINT); when there is no mention of an experiment; things are more broad, talking about the topic more generally