Simpson Library: Geology: Primary Sources

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.

Identifying Sources

	Primary	Secondary
Importance	Are about brand new research Report of results/facts/finding from an experiment or research study Are written by the people who did the research Usually will contain a methods & materials or methodology section Give the reader facts about the research NOT interpretation	Analyze one or more primary sources Can be written in response to a primary article Do NOT contain original research Are not written by the people who did the original research
Uses	Finding recent data Information about a very specific topic (for example, the results of a random trial for a new COVID vaccine)	Finding broader information on a topic (for example, a book or article about AIDS research) Analysis or interpretation of current research

Types of Primary Sources

Scholarly articles that present brand new research
Conference papers or proceedings
Technical Reports (USGS, Dept. of Natural Resources)
Datasets
Diaries, Interviews
Lab and Field Notebooks
Studies or Surveys

Types of Secondary Sources

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 also not the original source of information, and they lack the detailed description of experiments/research found in primary sources.

Some examples of secondary sources:

Review articles
Books
Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
Newspaper articles
Handbooks