Skip to Main Content
John B. Coleman Library Ask A Librarian

KINE 4310 Research Methods: Primary Vs. Secondary Sources

Library resources for KINESIOLOGY 4310

Primary Vs. Secondary Sources

Primary Sources

Primary Sources are immediate, first-hand accounts of a topic, from people who had a direct connection with it. Primary sources can include:

  • Texts of laws and other original documents.
  • Newspaper reports, by reporters who witnessed an event or who quote people who did.
  • Speeches, diaries, letters and interviews - what the people involved said or wrote.
  • Original research.
  • Datasets, survey data, such as census or economic statistics.
  • Photographs, video, or audio that capture an event.

Secondary Sources

 

Secondary Sources are one step removed from primary sources, though they often quote or otherwise use primary sources. They can cover the same topic, but add a layer of interpretation and analysis. Secondary sources can include:

  • Most books about a topic.
  • Analysis or interpretation of data.
  • Scholarly or other articles about a topic, especially by people not directly involved.
  • Documentaries (though they often include photos or video portions that can be considered primary sources).

 

Primary sources: A research guide: Primary vs. secondary. Research Guides. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2022, from https://umb.libguides.com/PrimarySources/secondary

John B. Coleman Library
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 519, MS 1040, Prairie View, Texas 77446
Physical Address: L.W. Minor St. / University Drive, Prairie View, Texas 77446
Reference: (936) 261-1535, Circulation: (936) 261-1542
Email: askalibrarian@pvamu.edu

Library Hours