This document discusses different types of information sources for research: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary sources provide direct, first-hand evidence like speeches, letters, photographs. Secondary sources analyze or interpret primary sources, like books or articles about an event. Tertiary sources provide brief overviews without analysis, like encyclopedias or fact books. The document provides examples of each type and notes that the date of a source impacts whether it is primary or secondary. Researchers use tertiary sources for background and primary and secondary sources to construct their research.

1. Source Selection

2. What type of information do you need
for this topic?
Once you have selected a
topic for your research paper,
you can determine the type of
information that’s needed.
1. Primary
2. Secondary
3. Tertiary

3. Primary
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
is primary information. It was
written by Lincoln himself.
The text of the speech is
firsthand information. It
contains the President’s
thoughts about the situation.

4. Primary Source Examples
They can come in many forms.
• Diaries
• Speeches
• Photographs
• Letters
• Manuscripts
• Oral Histories
• Political Cartoons
• Sheet Music
• Sound Recordings
• Motion Pictures
• Maps
• Some autobiographies
• Other
A primary resource provides direct, first-
hand, evidence of the topic under
investigation

5. Secondary
A book written commenting on
the historical importance of
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is
an example of a secondary
source.
It contains another person’s
reflections after the fact of the
speech. This is secondhand
information.

6. Secondary Source Examples
They can come in many forms.
• Books about an event
• Commentaries
• Dissertations
• Biographies
• Indexes
• Abstracts
• Journal Articles
A secondary source is something written about
a primary source event. It provides analysis,
critique or interpretation of the topic under
investigation.

7. A tertiary resource is thirdhand
information.
An article on the Gettysburg Address in an
encyclopedia is a tertiary resource.
It contains information about the speech in
a brief form. It is according to Webster,
“received from or through two
intermediaries.”
Tertiary

8. Tertiary Source Examples
They can come in many forms.
• Almanacs
• Digests
• Dictionaries
• Encyclopedias
• Fact books
• Pathfinders
• Overviews
• Guide Books
• Overviews
A tertiary source provides the bare
facts without analysis, critique or
interpretation of the topic under
investigation.

9. It’s Complicated.
An article written in 2010 about
the causes of the Great
Depression is a secondary source.
However, an article written in
1925 about the causes of the
Great Depression can be
considered a primary source.
Since the author is reflecting on
current circumstances.
In doubt ask questions. Your
professor or the librarians can
help you.

10. Confused?
For now, think of it this way.
For background information you use
tertiary sources.
• Dictionaries
• Encyclopedias
• Guides
• Fact books
The sources provide thirdhand
information discussing the bare facts.

11. This is what you’ll need.
The primary and secondary
sources are the sources you’ll
use in constructing your
research.
They provide firsthand access
to the original events and the
secondhand reflection upon
the events.

12. Next we’ll look closely at where to I start discovering
background words and ideas for your research project.
Do the student activity for this lesson.
After that proceed to the next lesson.
Revised Wednesday, February 4, 15.