Primary vs. Secondary Sources

Watch a short video tutorial on information sources

You will often hear researchers and librarians use the terms primary and secondary when referring to different sources of information.

Appalachian Training School Charter Document

A primary information source is a record of events that are described or recorded by someone who either participated in or witnessed the events firsthand. Examples include newspaper accounts, letters, diaries, notebooks, and interviews.

Official documents such as statements, records, and statistics produced by governments and other types of organizations are considered primary resources.

Company annual reports and other financial documents issued by a corporation may also be considered primary documents.

Secondary sources are those that record the words of someone who didn't actually witness or participate in an event, but rather investigated the primary sources. Books and journal articles are examples of secondary sources.

Content Editor, John Boyd, boydjd@appstate.edu, Electronic Resources Librarian