The major differences that exist between primary source and secondary source authors are its reliability and credibility. Secondary source authors hold certain disadvantages in that the authors did not directly experience the actual event, meaning that they do not have a first-hand account of the experience that occurred. Because these secondary source authors were not affected, their information could contain inaccurate data, or their opinions askew due to their lack of a direct experience. Although secondary sources may have their disadvantages, secondary source authors have the ability to analyze, interpret, evaluate, and synthesize the original events and data that could not be done initially due to time constraints. With the ability to analyze statistics and documents, authors can construct explanations and justifications as to why these events arose. …show more content…
Secondary sources may include a collection of multiple reliable sources, but secondary source authors have a high possibility of distorting historical accuracy due to their perspective. However, primary source authors may not be completely reliable, may be one-sided, and cannot be consulted for verification since they are deceased. Take for example, Bartolome de las Casas who took the side of the Indians after he witnessed a full-scale massacre. Bartolome stated, “The reason the Christians have murdered on such a vast scale and killed anyone and everyone in their way is purely and simply greed.” His opinions are one-sided due to his past observance of only a part of what took
Source 1 is a secondary as it analyses an event that occurred in the past. This source is about the spread of smallpox to the Aztecs. The picture was published by ……… in October 2012. The source provides us information today about the spread of smallpox. You can tell by looking at the picture that smallpox were red spots covered all over the body. Because it’s a secondary source, it is not very reliable and only serves as an opinion. The spread of smallpox was severe as 50% of the population got affected. The language used in the source is a picture. That’s also another reason the source is not accurate as it is from the author's point of view. Overall source 1 is not reliable as it is a secondary source and an opinion of someone.
If historians were to only use primary sources from one perspective, they would lose the chance to know different point of views. Take into consideration Joseph Galloway’s Speech to the Continental Congress. It is clear that he is trying to persuade the colonists not to go against Britain. Now, this speech is a primary source because is a document that provides explicit information about an event. But, a couple of years later, Thomas Paine writes the pamphlet “Common Sense”, where he advocates the country to be independent from Britain. If historians were only to use Joseph Galloway’s primary source, they would never be able to know that not everyone was thinking the same way of him. In order to fully understand what is the cause or the causes that lead to different events in history, it is important to be familiar to every kind of document regarding that period. Read and analyze every prime source of that period to have a complete and neat vision of the
Secondary source: Secondary sources are usually primary sources that have been analysed, interpreted and or evaluated. Secondary sources can be primary sources but it all depends on how it is used.
Write ‘Primary Source’ and ‘Secondary Source’ on the board and ask the student’s if anyone can predict what the difference is.
To determine whether a book is a primary source or a secondary source, a person needs to know what a primary and secondary source is. First, a primary source, define by Princeton, “is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study.” Also, “these sources were present during an experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event. While a secondary source interprets and analyzes primary sources. These sources are one or more steps removed from the event.” (Primary vs Secondary) Next thing to consider is the background about the author and how he is involved with the story. Upton Sinclair was writing about a meat packing company and had a firsthand account of the terrible things that company did to the animals and the workers. Since Sinclair was there during that time and documented the experience of workers and their condition, his book would be declared a primary source. What Sinclair saw was his inspiration to write about his most famous and moving book, The Jungle. Upton Sinclair was not a famous writer until his release of the book and his book caused major reform in the food industry around the country.
In general, primary sources are the original materials of history or the original documents and substances that were created at the time, either by a first-hand experience, picture, etc. To make the primary source, reliable and respectable, the source should be as unbiased as possible, objective, and state the facts of the time. Behind the Urals: An American Worker in Russia’s City of Steel is a book written as a firsthand account on writer John Scott’s life in Soviet Russia. First-hand accounts are generally biased to some extent but it is not hard to separate true facts and opinions. Behind the Urals is a good primary source and the author’s opinion, ideals, and beliefs are glossed over through the memoir, and his efforts to remain objective were recognized.
Secondary data using existing data, as related to new data that is being gathered or have been recently gathered. Information already exist on the topics that are being studied. In quantitative approaches, it is this knowledge that assists one with finding the hypothesis to be examined in the new research. It opens the door for the researcher to further explore and generate new questions for the study. This also allows the researcher to find gaps in the research process. Secondary data sources can be acquired via the
The best historians are the ones who write the strongest arguments. To make strong arguments, it's very important to use strong sources. Sources are either primary or secondary. The primary sources are the original ones, which date back to the events of that time period. Secondary sources are the arguments of other historians or anything that talks about primary sources. Choosing the best sources means understanding what the source is saying and using accurate information to make your own argument.
Credible sources are beneficial for me as a tertiary learner to enable me not to plagiarise in my assessments and to be able to learn from experts in the field. Reliable sources help me to use the information to learn successfully, raise new knowledge, work around problems and make judgements (Bundy, 2004).
Secondary information is data which is derived from primary information and can be found via books, newspapers, internet etc. Secondary information is less reliable than Primary information because you cannot be certain as to how precise it is.
In order for Maalouf to accomplish this change of beliefs successfully, he had to acquire many credible sources for the readers to trust him. Located in the back of the book, Amin Maalouf has placed a sources section in order for readers to trust his credibility. The two types of sources that can be found throughout The Crusades Through Arab Eyes are primary and secondary sources. Primary sources are works such as; quotes, government documents, letters, and records. While Secondary sources are those such as; books,
Secondary source contains second hand information, created by people who were not eyewitnesses to the event, and descriptions of events that include analysis or interpretation of primary sources to describe a past event. For example, a written analysis of old firsthand interviews about an event, and a book that describes
Treyci Krenzer HST 102 Sep. 3, 2016 From the Medieval Sourcebook: Why Study History Through Primary Sources by James Harvey Robinson, I’ve learned that the difference between primary and secondary sources is the different information that we gain. This meaning that sometimes what we learn from a secondary source may not necessarily cover all of what primary sources may hold. Primary sources are often more helpful if there is truly a want to learn and to get a full rounded education of what really happened in the past. Primary sources are reports of information from a direct witness that saw an important event occur that changed a part of history. Primary sources can usually be found in various documents, manuscripts,
Another immediate reason why bias and misinterpretation is rampant throughout the Primary Sources, is the renounment of writers not cross checking quotes and/or evidence obtained by eyewitnesses or political documentation.