Academic writing is a genre that requires extensive research to formulate your opinion on a topic. And since students need to consult several educational materials, they must provide references to those resources in the form of citations.
When you collaborate with essay writing services like paperwritingservice.com, you must specify the sources the writer should consult, whether they are secondary or primary. But sometimes, differentiating sources of information can be challenging.
So, this guide will show you the differences between primary and secondary sources. You’ll also learn when to use both.
What Is a Primary Source?
A primary source is an original work that provides firsthand accounts of an event, research, or study. When students buy an essay paper online, they usually get a paper with one or several of the following primary sources:
- Letters, diaries, and memoirs;
- Photographs, movies, and video footage;
- Government documents, court records, and newspapers;
- Novels, poems, and plays;
- Social media content, statistical data, speeches.
Essentially, you can use any medium that conveys an original thought as a primary source.
What Is a Secondary Source?
A secondary source offers a reported account of an original work. The information you can find in a secondary source is usually an interpretation, description, or analysis of the original work.
You can find secondary sources of information in the following media:
- Synopses
- Encyclopedia
- Essays
- Reviews
- Documentaries
- Biographies
- Opinion pieces and articles.
Despite the stark contrasts between both forms, you can still find overlapping areas. For instance, an article about a play is a secondary source, but if it addresses the play’s cultural impact, then it is a primary source.
Differences Between Primary and Secondary Sources
Before we discuss the differences in detail, check out the questions before citing a source:
- Is the source an original account or a commentary on it?
- Does the content address the study directly or indirectly?
Answering these two questions can help you spot the distinguishing factors between primary and secondary sources.
Interpretation
Information from a primary source leaves room for interpretation. The student should consult the work to make their decisions. Conversely, a secondary source offers another person’s view on the original work. So, the student has only the writer’s interpretation of the content.
Topic Scope
When the essay brief requires covering the topic from a specific viewpoint, you can use a secondary source. But if you need to discuss it from a broader perspective, you need to consult a primary source.
Historical Relevance
If the topic requires delving into the history of the period, consult primary sources to get firsthand information. But if you only need to cover someone’s view on that specific era, you can consult an opinion piece or documentary.
How to Cite Primary Sources
When citing a primary source, follow the instructions provided in the style guide. Common formatting styles include APA, MLA, IEEE, Chicago, Turabian, etc. Also, use the specified formatting style throughout the paper, including the references and in-text citations.
Example: (Jackson, 1900)
In the list of references, provide full citation credits to the original author.
How to Cite Secondary Sources
If you want to cite a secondary source, you also need to consult the original work and reference it in your essay. This shows the reader that you are citing an author in another volume.
Example: (Jackson, 1900, as cited in Lincoln, 2000)
You can exclude the publication date if it is unknown. In that case, the citation will look like this:
Jackson’s Confessions (as cited in Lincoln, 2000)
It is also important to note that you don’t have to add the original source to the “Works Cited” page. You can reference only the secondary source.
Primary vs. Secondary Sources: What’s the Best Option for You?
No hardline rule exists regarding the citation of primary and secondary sources in academic writing. However, most educators prefer primary sources because it allows students to formulate their own ideas instead of relying on someone else’s interpretation.
You can use a primary source when you know the original work and can access it. Alternatively, you can refer to a secondary source. Also, if you don’t have enough information on the subject — or the original work doesn’t offer much information — consulting a secondary source might be the best option.
Apart from that, secondary sources can help you refer to information from bodies of work written in another language. If the secondary source translates and analyzes the data, then it makes sense to use it for your paper.
Above all, students can use a secondary source when the original work is out of print and unavailable online. The secondary author’s interpretation of the event will provide a bedrock for your ideas.
Conclusion
Although most schools encourage students to consult primary sources for their essays, secondary sources are also acceptable because they provide additional information about the topic.
When choosing a primary or secondary source, consider the topic scope, historical relevance, and the author’s inherent bias. Most importantly, always cite the source using the correct formatting style.