Define a secondary source.

From SJS Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search

Back to History 8 Archaeology Manual

A secondary source is a source that interprets a primary source and explains it. The secondary source will be removed from the primary source one or more times. Examples of secondary sources are textbooks or encyclopedias. To determine the accuracy of the secondary source, examine who wrote it, where the author was during the event being examined, when he recorded the information, and why he recorded it. (Manual pg 2)

While primary sources are often the better choice to research with, secondary sources also provide many benefits. Often times, the author of a secondary source is not strongly connected to the subject he is writing about, and may provide a less biased opinion. Also, secondary sources can provide a reference to related events the occurred after the event under consideration, providing a sometimes useful viewpoint. (http://www.library.illinois.edu/ugl/howdoi/secondarysources.html)

Mark Laborde 1st Period