Types of resources

21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject
every kind of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

What is a source of
information
O Any mean that provides data or
information which is useful to develop a
research.

Types of Sources
O Primary Sources
O They are original materials. They are from
the time period involved and have not
been filtered through interpretation or
evaluation. Primary sources are original
materials on which other research is
based. They are usually the first formal
appearance of results in physical, print or
electronic format. They present original
thinking, report a discovery, or share new
information.

ExamplesO Artifacts (e.g. coins, plant specimens, fossils, furniture, tools, clothing, all from
the time under study);
O Audio recordings (e.g. radio programs)
O Diaries;
O Internet communications on email, listservs;
O Interviews (e.g., oral histories, telephone, e-mail);
O Journal articles published in peer-reviewed publications;
O Letters;
O Newspaper articles written at the time;
O Original Documents (i.e. birth certificate, will, marriage license, trial transcript);
O Patents;
O Photographs
O Proceedings of Meetings, conferences and symposia;
O Records of organizations, government agencies (e.g. annual report, treaty,
constitution, government document);
O Speeches;
O Survey Research (e.g., market surveys, public opinion polls);
O Video recordings (e.g. television programs);
O Works of art, architecture, literature, and music (e.g., paintings, sculptures,
musical scores, buildings, novels, poems).
O Web site.

Types of Sources
O Secondary Sources
O Secondary sources are less easily defined
than primary sources. Generally, they are
accounts written after the fact with the
benefit of hindsight. They are
interpretations and evaluations of primary
sources. Secondary sources are not
evidence, but rather commentary on and
discussion of evidence.

Examples
O Bibliographies (also considered tertiary);
O Biographical works;
O Commentaries, criticisms;
O Dictionaries, Encyclopedias (also considered
tertiary);
O Histories;
O Journal articles (depending on the disciple can be
primary);
O Magazine and newspaper articles (this distinction
varies by discipline);
O Monographs, other than fiction and autobiography;
O Textbooks (also considered tertiary);
O Web site (also considered primary).

Types of Sources
O Tertiary Soruces
O They consist of information which is a
distillation and collection of primary and
secondary sources.

Examples
O Almanacs;
O Bibliographies (also considered secondary);
O Chronologies;
O Dictionaries and Encyclopedias (also considered
secondary);
O Directories;
O Fact books;
O Guidebooks;
O Indexes, abstracts, bibliographies used to locate
primary and secondary sources;
O Manuals;
O Textbooks (also be secondary).

NOTE
O The previous definitions can vary
depending upon the discipline or context
of your researhc.

Comparison Across the
Disciplines
SUBJECT PRIMARY SECONDARY TERTIARY
Art and Architecture Painting by Manet Article critiquing art piece ArtStor database
Chemistry/Life Sciences Einstein's diary Monograph on Einstein's life Dictionary on Theory of
Relativity
Engineering/Physical
Sciences
Patent NTIS database Manual on using invention
Humanities Letters by Martin Luther King Web site on King's writings Encyclopedia on Civil Rights
Movement
Social Sciences Notes taken by clinical
psychologist
Magazine article about the
psychological condition
Textbook on clinical
psychology
Performing Arts Movie filmed in 1942 Biography of the director Guide to the movie

Libraries as Source of
Information
O What is a library?
O What is its roll in a research?
O What types of sources does it offer?
O What types of information?
O Advantages
O Disadvantages

Getting Digital Information
O What is digital information?
O Where can you get it?
O Advantages
O Disadvantages

Assignment
O Make 6 bibliography cards following
instructions from material provided by the
professor.

Types of resources

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Types of resources