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8 Secondary Sources
Secondary Sources
What is a Secondary Source?
STEM
In STEM-related disciplines, a secondary source is compiled or produced from information originally reported in primary sources, meaning the authors are summarizing or analyzing research done by others. This may look like a researcher(s) summarizing a single piece of research, providing a general overview of a topic, or reviewing a collection of research on a specific topic over time.[1]
Examples of secondary sources in STEM-related research include textbooks, review articles, monographs, edited books, systematic reviews, government policy documents, and more. For more information on review articles, read through our tutorial chapter on it here!
What Should I Look Out For in an Primary Source Article?
To help you identify a scientific secondary source, you can check for characteristics like[2]:
- Title and/or Review Section: You may see in the title field the type of review conducted, such as a “literature review”, “systematic review”, or “meta-analyses”.
- Abstract and/or Introduction: you may not find mentions of an original study, and see phrases like “reviews the literature” or the databases used to conduct a review (ex. PubMed)
- Results (lack of): there will be little to no indication of original results or data by the authors themselves referenced in the material
Humanities and Social Sciences
In Humanities and Social Sciences, like the STEM-disciplines prior, secondary sources are not materials captured during the event or time period itself, but rather a compilation of materials that analyze, comment, interpret or create discussions regarding your primary sources.
Examples of secondary sources in Humanities and Social Sciences research can include books, monographs, scholarly journals, essays, textbooks, documentaries, literary criticism, reviews, and others.
Please note that the difference between primary sources and secondary sources here may not always be distinct. One source can fit into the criteria for a primary material regarding one topic, while it serves as a secondary source for another topic.
Primary vs. Secondary Source Example
You are planning to use the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) in your research project, but its source type will differ regarding what your research is about:
- it is considered a primary source if your research topic was about the works of David Gelb (the documentary’s director)
- it is considered a secondary source if your research topic was about the sushi master Jiro Ono
It takes a bit of practice, but you’ll eventually gain the skills to identify context that influences your source materials.
Want to try your abilities to tell apart primary and secondary sources? Try this short quiz from the University of Connecticut Library to help you better differentiate between primary and secondary sources here!
Media Attributions
- Holmes, Katie. “What Is a Primary Source? (Science).” The Clever Researcher, June 15, 2022. https://beryliveylibrary.wordpress.com/2022/06/15/primarysource/. ↵
- Holmes, Katie. “What Is a Primary Source? (Science).” The Clever Researcher, June 15, 2022. https://beryliveylibrary.wordpress.com/2022/06/15/primarysource/. ↵
