What is the difference between primary and secondary sources?
Answer
Primary Sources
A primary source is a document or evidence written during the time under study or by one of the persons or organizations directly involved in the event. Primary sources offer an inside view of a particular event. Some examples include: diaries, speeches, letters, minutes, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, and official records.
Secondary Sources
Secondary sources are interpretations and analyses based on primary sources. Some examples include: scholarly journal articles, magazines, reports, newspaper articles, handbooks, and encyclopedias.
The video (4:12) below explains the difference between primary and secondary sources: