Before collecting your sources, you should first understand the difference between types of sources, their relevance for your research, and their scholarly credibility.
Primary vs. Secondary Sources
In the social sciences, primary sources tend to be original accounts of an event or original creations that act as the subject of research. Secondary sources interpret or analyze the information from primary sources or the findings from a research project. The table below details the kinds of documents you might find in these categories:
| Primary Sources |
Secondary Sources |
Original documents that provide first-hand records. Examples include:
|
Interpretations of primary sources. Examples include:
|
Collecting a variety of sources will likely be most helpful as you attempt to evaluate and synthesize information to form your findings. Identifying and utilizing secondary sources is an essential part of a successful research process, as they can:
- Give a general overview of a body of research with which you are not familiar.
- Reveal what has already been done well, so that you do not waste time “reinventing the wheel.”
- Give you new ideas you can use in your own research.
- Enable you to place your research in a larger context, so that you can show what new conclusions might result from your research.
- Determine where there are problems or flaws in existing research.
- Help you see which methods other researchers have used to answer similar questions in the past.
Most secondary sources fall into two categories: scholarly and popular.
Scholarly vs. Popular Sources
Scholarly sources–also called academic sources– are written by qualified researchers and go through a rigorous peer-review process before publication, meaning that the article has been vetted by experts in the field.
Popular sources are written by and for a general audience. Unlike scholarly sources, they aren’t peer-reviewed and may not include a reference list. Examples include websites, newsletters, op eds, some books, and blogs. Popular sources can be credible, but typically require more vetting to ensure their accuracy.
To learn more about the difference between scholarly and popular sources, consult the table below (University of Central Missouri, 2022):
|
Scholarly Publication |
Popular Publication |
|
|
Scope |
Has a narrow scope or is limited to a specific field or subfield of study; goal is to promote and disseminate scholarly research |
Designed for a broad, general audience; primary goal is to make a profit |
|
Audience |
Intended for academic or specialized audiences such as professors, researchers, or students |
Does not require expertise in the field to understand; designed for the general population |
|
Visuals |
More likely to have tables and graphics |
More likely to have pictures and media |
|
Citations |
Includes references, bibliographies, notes and/or works cited |
May have verified facts, but may not include references or bibliographies |
|
Author |
Lists an author and author affiliations; authors are experts in their respective field who typically have high levels of training |
May or may not have an author listed; authors are generalists, journalists, or freelance writers |
|
Published By |
Published by a scholarly press or professional organization |
Potentially published by a for-profit entity |
|
Review Process |
Reviewed by an editorial board of scholars prior to publication in a process known as refereed or peer-review |
Editor works for the website publishing the content |
By collecting a variety of different source types and recognizing their respective strengths and weaknesses, it can become easier to locate the works that are credible and relevant to your research project. Now that we have learned about the different types of sources, let’s explore how to effectively locate the secondary, scholarly sources that will positively contribute to your research.
