A Secondary s
ource is defined as: A source that discusses a prior event from an academic or research or layperson perspective. The key here is that the resource is from some time after the event.
An example of this would be a book:
- about the American Civil War or
- an article in a journal publication discussing the importance of the Battle of Gettysburg.
A book will NOT typically be a primary resource unless it is an autobiography, a compilation of letters or diary entries, or documents.
Other examples of secondary sources:
- Bibliographies
- Textbooks
- Commentaries
- Review articles (book reviews, movie reviews, review of a journal article)
- Literary criticism and interpretation
- Political analyses
Let's try some library resources to locate secondary sources. Click on a side tab to begin