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Every science database includes a mix of primary and secondary resources. While many databases allow you to separate scholarly sources from popular sources, they do not do this for primary and secondary sources. To differentiate between primary vs. secondary, you must visibly examine each item to ensure it was written by the scientists that performed the original experiment.
Use some of the criteria listed in the box below to make that determination.
A primary source in the sciences is usually an article discussing the results of an experiment conducted by the authors of the paper. It is not a comment or review of someone else’s research. Most scientific primary sources are published in peer-reviewed journals. Peer-reviewed means that a panel of experts will review and suggest revisions to all articles submitted for publication.
Primary source articles have unique sections, and the abstracts use very specific terminology to indicate that an experiment was conducted. Typically, you will see some or all of the following sections:
The ABSTRACT will include terms that indicate an experiment was conducted. For example:
Secondary sources in the sciences are written with less technical language so that they appeal to a broader audience - not just for those studying or working in a specific field. Secondary sources are not the original source of information, and they lack the detailed description of experiments/research found in primary sources.
Secondary sources provide:
Some examples of secondary sources are: