How do I recognize primary, secondary, and tertiary sources?

Examples of primary sources include

• scientific journal articles reporting experimental research results
• proceedings of meetings, conferences, symposia
• technical reports
• patents
• data sets (such as census statistics)
• works of literature (novels, poems, etc.)
• diaries
• autobiographies
• interviews
• surveys
• letters and correspondence
• speeches
• government documents
• photographs and works of art (paintings, sculptures, etc.)
• legal documents (birth certificates, trial transcripts, etc.)
• films, documentaries, plays

NOTE: Many things can become primary sources depending on how they are used. For example, a blog that analyzes a movie is a secondary source, but if you are writing an essay about how blogs analyze movies, the blog becomes a primary source.

What is considered a primary source varies by discipline. Below are some examples.

Natural & Health Sciences

In the natural and health sciences, a primary source refers to an original research article in which the researchers report the results of their own studies.

Literature

In literature, a primary source is the item being analyzed, for example, a poem, a novel, a short story, and other literary works or documents created by authors, such as diaries or letters.

Visual & Performing Arts

This field includes theater, dance, music, studio art, etc. Primary sources in this field are artistic works such as plays, paintings, music sculptures, dance performances, and other works created by artists. Artists' personal papers and documents can also be considered primary sources.

History

Primary sources in the field of history are identified by when they were created. Primary sources in history document a historical moment and provide a firsthand account of an event or time period.Examples of primary sources in history are letters, diaries, journals, photographs, oral histories,
documentary video, speeches, etc.

Social Sciences

The social sciences include psychology, political science, sociology, social work, communication studies, and more. Primary sources in this field are original research articles that report on studies conducted by the authors themselves. Data sets can also be considered primary sources in this field.

Religious Studies

In the field of religious studies, the main primary sources are scripture and sacred texts. Other types of primary sources in this field include original religious philosophy, sacred poetry, sacred art, recorded sermons, writings by theologians, etc.

Film & Media Studies

Primary sources in the field of film and media studies include audiovisual or multimedia objects of analysis, such as films, documentaries, television shows, etc. Personal documents created by film and media artists may also be considered primary.

Classical Studies

In the field of classical studies, primary sources are identified by their creation date. Items such as artifacts works of literature, etc., created during the time of the period being studied are considered primary sources. Note that translations of original text are also considered primary sources even if the translations date from after the creation of the original texts.

Need help?

If you need help learning how to identify primary sources in your discipline, contact the librarians at reference@pvcc.edu

• For help finding resources, use the library's playbooks. Librarians can help you understand the playbooks, but they cannot conduct research for you.
• For help with formatting citations, please consult the library's citation styles playbooks. Please note the librarians cannot help you with citation generators or with any citation guide other than the library's. 
• For help with composition issues (such as spelling, grammar, flow, etc.), visit the Writing Center.
• If you have questions, email the  librarians at reference@pvcc.edu, visit the library and speak with a librarian, or connect via chat. If your section has an embedded librarian, contact that specific librarian.