Research that includes a strong scholarly discourse often relies on using both primary and secondary resources. Both are valuable and can be used to provide context and historical data to your argument.
However, primary and secondary resources can look different, depending on your discipline. Here are some examples within the Humanities:
Primary Sources | Secondary Sources |
Letters, journals, diaries, and manuscripts |
Biographies, textbooks, and academic analyses of a person or event |
Recordings, transcripts, or photographs of speeches, oral histories, or events as they occur | Documentaries |
Court records and Government documents | Newspaper article discussing a law or recounting a politician's stance |
Empirical studies and datasets | Analysis or interpretations of others' studies or data |
Social media posts by the person who was at an event | Social media reposts and shares by others |
Primary and Secondary Sources Videos