Paul Meek Library FAQs

Primary sources get you as close as possible to the original research, person, or time period. The format of primary sources will vary between fields, but always think about if your source is the closest you can get to the original information. If it is, your source is likely a primary source. 

Primary sources in history:

• Diaries
• Memorabilia and artifacts
• Letters
• Photographs
• Oral histories and interviews

Primary sources in literature:

• All of the above sources, as well as novels, poems, and other literary sources

Primary sources in law:

• Statutes 
• Court cases
• Law codes
• Government documents such as congressional hearings

Primary sources in business:

• Company financials
• Patents, trademarks, or copyright protection
• Demographic and census data

nursing, agriculture, and the sciences:

• Peer-reviewed research studies, experiments, or clinical trials

Secondary sources offer an in-depth study of primary sources, usually synthesizing several primary sources into an argument or thesis while analyzing and critiquing them. Secondary sources are not as close to the original study material as primary sources, which allows the authors to take a broader look at trends and connections. Secondary sources may be from the same time period as the original primary sources, or they may be written much later. Secondary sources may include things like books, news articles, SWOT analyses, reports, or literature reviews.