Learn the significance of Primary and Secondary sources
You’ve undoubtedly heard the terms primary and secondary sources but aren’t sure what they are or how they differ. What’s the importance of primary and secondary sources? Before that, you should be familiar with the term. So, let’s get this party started.
Primary sources
A primary source is the first account of an event written by one or more persons at the time of the occurrence or several years afterwards. However, the most important primary sources are those created within a few years of the historical period under consideration. The most exact portrayal of the information’s origin is a primary source.
Thesis, dissertations, research reports, journal articles, government documents, etc., will be a primary source.
Secondary sources
Secondary sources are used to evaluate or research genuine sources to reassert an idea. Typically, they are works that summarise, interpret, reorganize, or add value to a primary source somehow. They aren’t eyewitness accounts of the incident but rather someone else’s perspective. Let’s suppose there are a lot of credible secondary sources, so you don’t have to worry about using them if the author is trustworthy.
Secondary sources include textbooks, edited works, encyclopedias, research works, biographies, literary fiction, interpretation, etc.
Although primary materials are more trustworthy as evidence, successful research incorporates both primary and secondary sources.
The importance of Primary and Secondary sources
You can argue, assess, and cite a primary source since it gives you direct access to the material. On the other hand, a secondary source offers an alternative viewpoint on the same work. So, if you believe that primary or secondary sources follow the same information, you are mistaken. Both have different meanings.
We may gain a unique perspective on the past by using primary sources. We can learn more about how events influenced people’s feelings and thinking at the time. On the other hand, secondary sources provide thorough overviews of a subject and are especially useful if you need to learn about a topic you are unfamiliar with.
