Secondary source
A source that discusses or analyzes information from primary sources.
A secondary source is a document or recording that relates or discusses information originally presented elsewhere. It contrasts with a primary, or original, source, as it involves the selection, modification, and arrangement of original information into a suitable format, often including generalization, analysis, interpretation, or evaluation. The classification of a source as primary or secondary is not always obvious and is relative, depending on context and use; a third level, the tertiary source, aims to provide a broad introductory overview.
- Field
- Information science, historiography, law, science, humanities
- Known for
- Summarizing, analyzing, or interpreting primary sources; providing secondary literature in various disciplines
- Classification nature
- Relative and contextual; may change over time or depending on use
- Related concept
- Tertiary source (e.g., encyclopedia or dictionary)
Lore & Background
In scholarship, a secondary source is defined as one that gives information about a primary source, with the original information being selected, modified, and arranged. The most accurate classification for any given source is not always obvious, as 'primary' and 'secondary' are relative terms; some sources may be classified as either depending on how they are used. For example, a historical text that discusses old documents and discloses a new conclusion may be considered a primary source for that new conclusion but remains a secondary source regarding the old documents. An obituary or a survey of journal volumes can also be assigned both roles.
Reader's Guide
The concept of secondary sources is fundamental across many fields, including history, law, science, and library science. In historiography, the delineation of sources as primary and secondary first arose as historians attempted to identify and classify sources of historical writing, with an important objective being to determine the independence and reliability of sources. In law, primary sources (cases, statutes) are authoritative and precedential, while secondary sources (books, articles) are only persuasive. In science, secondary literature includes review articles and meta-analyses, which summarize primary research. The UNISIST model of information dissemination uses concepts of primary, secondary, and further levels of classification, defined in relation to each other. The classification is subjective and contextual, and may change over time as knowledge evolves—for instance, a document referring to a lost letter may be considered primary until the letter is found, after which it becomes secondary.
Did You Know?
- A secondary source involves generalization, analysis, interpretation, or evaluation of original information.
- The classification of a source as primary or secondary can change over time depending on the state of knowledge in a field.
- In German, Sekundärliteratur refers to secondary literature on historical facts, while Sekundärquelle is used for historiography, such as a letter quoting from a lost primary source.
- A book review is a primary source for the reviewer's opinion and a secondary source for the contents of the book.
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