Primary Sources
- original, creative works
- first-hand account written during or around the time
- results of experiments and clinical trials
- reports of scientific discoveries
- factual, not interpretive
Secondary Sources
- analyze and interpret primary sources
- analyze and interpret research studies, scientific experiments, etc.
- critique creative works
Examples in the Humanities
Primary Sources
- poems
- diaries, autobiographies
- interviews
Secondary Sources
- literary criticism
- book, art, and theater reviews
- biographies
- histories
Examples in the Sciences
Primary Sources
- published results
- conference proceedings
Secondary Sources
- report on the significance of experiments
- analysis of a clinical trial
- review of results from various experiments