Primary sources are items from the time or source be studied, they have not been filtered through interpretation or evaluation. These are original materials on which other research is based.
Some types of primary sources include:
Primary sources are items from the time or source be studied, they have not been filtered through interpretation or evaluation. These are original materials on which other research is based.
Secondary sources are interpretations or evaluations of primary sources. Generally they are accounts written after the fact with the benefit of hindsight. They are commentary on and discussion of evidence, not evidence (primary) themselves.
| SUBJECT | PRIMARY | SECONDARY |
| Art and Architecture | Painting by Monet | Article critiquing art piece |
| Chemistry/Life Sciences | Einstein's diary | Biography on Einstein's life |
| Engineering/Physical Sciences | Patent | NTIS database |
| Humanities | Letters by Martin Luther King | Web site on King's writings |
| Social Sciences | Notes taken by clinical psychologist | Magazine article about the psychological condition |
| Performing Arts | Movie filmed in 1942 | Biography of the director |
How do you know what "scholarly" is?
ARTICLES
Journals, magazines, and newspapers can be divided into four basic categories:
1. Scholarly
2. General Interest / Substantive News
3. Popular
4. Sensational
SCHOLARLY journals require articles to be reviewed by other experts or scholars in the same field (thus "peer reviewed") who must agree that the article in question meets the standards of that profession. This ensures that the content of the article is as valid and reliable as possible.
How do you tell if a journal is scholarly? Look for an abstract, or citations in the form of bibliographies. These are both clues. Most importantly, though, the databases in GALILEO allow you to modify your searches to include only those materials that are peer reviewed!
(More information on the four basic categories can be found here!)
http://guides.library.cornell.edu/scholarlyjournals
BOOKS
Think "APPLE".
Author - is the author an expert in his/her field?
Purpose - what kind of information is the book trying to convey?
Publisher - who made the book available?
Language - how sophisticated is the language used in the text?
Evidence - what sources does the author use to draw conclusions?