Activity

Primary and Secondary Sources

After (or even before!) you have finished scoping the question, and perhaps have an idea of the areas you might wish to focus on in your answer, you might want to dive into your reading, as Jamie and Nicola have suggested in the previous videos.

Question: What does Reading of Secondary Scholarship entail?

To answer this question you first need a good understanding of the difference between Primary Sources (which you will likely have encountered the most of, up to now), and Secondary Sources (which you may not have as much experience with).

Look at the picture, what do the items have in common?

Text box
Open	Hidden
Answers: Primary Sources	Primary Sources are the ORIGINAL evidence. Primary sources can include: Texts and other original documents. Newspaper reports, by reporters who witnessed an event or who quote people who did. Speeches, diaries, letters and interviews - what the people involved said or wrote. Original research. Datasets, survey data, such as census or economic statistics. Photographs, video, or audio that capture an event.

Have a Think

Text box
What are the primary sources of your discipline? How might they be different to other disciplines?

Text box
What primary sources have you used in your GCSE and A-Level studies?

Text box
If Primary Sources are the original evidence, what do you think Secondary Sources are?

Again, look at the picture, what do these items have in common?

Structure of a Scholarly Article - Finding Articles - Pilgrim Library at Defiance College OIL | Secondary sources

Text box
Open	Hidden
Answers: Secondary Sources	Secondary Sources are ONE STEP REMOVED from the ORIGINAL (Primary) evidence. They are typically discussions of primary sources or evidence. They can cover the same topic, but add a layer of critical interpretation and analysis. Secondary sources can include: Most books about a topic. Analysis or interpretation of data. Scholarly or other articles about a topic. Documentaries (though they often include photos or video portions that can be considered primary sources).

Have a Think

Text box
Have you encountered Secondary Sources in your GCSE and A-Level studies? If so, what were they?

Text box
Are you confident in your knowledge of the difference between Primary and Secondary Sources?

Text box
Would your undergraduate essays be considered a primary or a secondary source? Why?