| Primary Sources | Secondary Sources | Tertiary Sources | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Raw data, original sources, first-hand accounts | Analysis or interpretation of data | Compilation of data |
| Examples | interviews, speeches, diaries, newspaper articles written at the time, novels, plays, artwork | journal articles, movie reviews, biographies, textbooks, editorials | reference lists, bibliographies, library catalogs |
| Popular Sources | Scholarly Sources | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Written for a general audience, often broader scope | Written by experts for an expert audience, often a very narrow scope |
| Examples | The Washington Post, The New Yorker | Journal for the History of Rhetoric, Indonesian Journal Of Applied Linguistics |
Remember that the difference between "popular" and "scholarly" sources is not "bad sources" versus "good sources"! Different sources can be good for different information needs.
