Primary and secondary sources

Primary sources provide a first-hand account of an event or time period and are considered to be authoritative.

They represent original thinking, reports on discoveries or events, or they can share new information.

Often these sources are created at the time the events occurred but they can also include sources that are created later.

They are usually the first formal appearance of original research.

Secondary sources offer an analysis, interpretation or a restatement of primary sources and are considered to be persuasive.

They often involve generalisation, synthesis, interpretation, commentary or evaluation in an attempt to convince the reader of the creator's argument.

They often attempt to describe or explain primary sources.