{"id":1782,"date":"2019-08-22T14:45:35","date_gmt":"2019-08-22T19:45:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/libraries\/\/?page_id=1782"},"modified":"2022-05-26T10:16:57","modified_gmt":"2022-05-26T14:16:57","slug":"eval_primary_secondary","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/library\/services\/eval_primary_secondary\/","title":{"rendered":"Evaluating Sources"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source Types<\/h2>\n

1. Primary Sources<\/h3>\n

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\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Criteria<\/th>\nUse Primary Sources To Help You…<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Understand<\/td>\nGain a contemporary understanding of a subject<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Interpret<\/td>\nInterpret information YOURSELF (Note: some primary sources can be difficult to understand)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Write<\/td>\nWrite an essay that requires you to express your original understanding of a subject<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Discipline<\/th>\nExamples of Primary Sources<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Art and Architecture<\/td>\nPainting by Manet<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chemistry \/ Life Sciences<\/td>\nEinstein’s Diary<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Engineering \/ Physical Sciences<\/td>\nPatent<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Humanities<\/td>\nLetters by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Social Sciences<\/td>\nNotes taken by clinical psychologist<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Performing Arts<\/td>\nMovie Filmed in 1942<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n

2. Secondary Sources<\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Criteria<\/th>\nUse Secondary Sources To Help You…<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Understand<\/td>\nGet background information about or a synopsis of a subject<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Interpret<\/td>\nGet help from scholars who might be more specialized in a subject (Note: be aware of possible source bias)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Write<\/td>\nWrite an essay that requires you to report on what others have said about a subject (and perhaps defend YOUR informed opinion)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Discipline<\/th>\nExamples of Secondary Sources<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Art and Architecture<\/td>\nArticle critiquing art piece<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chemistry \/ Life Sciences<\/td>\nMonograph on Einstein’s life<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Engineering \/ Physical Sciences<\/td>\nNTIS database<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Humanities<\/td>\nWeb site on King’s writings<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Social Sciences<\/td>\nMagazine article about the psychological condition<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Performing Arts<\/td>\nBiography of the director<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n

3. Tertiary Sources<\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Criteria<\/th>\nUse Tertiary Sources To Help You…<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Understand<\/td>\nGet an overview or summary of a topic. These sources are not usually credited to a particular author.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Interpret<\/td>\nThese source types are often comprised of both primary and secondary sources, and require less interpretive skills since their main purpose is to index, abstract, organize, compile, or digest other sources.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Write<\/td>\nExamples of tertiary sources include encyclopedias, textbooks, and dictionaries. This means you\u2019ll use the information to build foundational knowledge of a topic before finding more academic sources. You will not typically use the information in your writing, but simply to provide clarification on a topic with which you are unfamiliar before diving into more academic sources.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Discipline<\/th>\nExamples of Tertiary Sources<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Art and Architecture<\/td>\nArtStor database<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chemistry \/ Life Sciences<\/td>\nDictionary on Theory of Relativity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Engineering \/ Physical Sciences<\/td>\nUser’s Manual<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Humanities<\/td>\nEncylopedia on Civil Rights Movement<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Social Sciences<\/td>\nTextbook on clinical psychology<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Performing Arts<\/td>\nGuide to the movie<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Source Attribution<\/h3>\n