Using Primary & Secondary Sources

Summary

This tutorial distinguishes between primary and secondary sources, crucial for research assignments. Primary sources offer firsthand accounts like letters, diaries, and speeches, while secondary sources analyze or interpret these, often written by experts. Examples from social studies, art, and science illustrate the use of primary sources for direct experience and secondary sources for expert insights, guiding students on when to use each in their research.

Takeaways

• 📚 Primary sources are firsthand accounts like letters, diaries, speeches, or interviews, created by those who directly witnessed the events.
• 🌟 Examples of primary sources include historical documents, artworks, and raw data collected by those who experienced the subject firsthand.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Use primary sources to get a direct experience of what it was like to be there, such as reading eyewitness accounts or viewing unfiltered data.
• 📘 Secondary sources are interpretations or analyses of primary sources, often created by experts who did not directly witness the events.
• 🎨 Examples of secondary sources include books, articles, documentaries, and lectures that discuss, summarize, or analyze primary sources.
• 🧠 Use secondary sources to gather background knowledge, understand expert analysis, or gain insights into a topic from a studied perspective.
• 📈 Primary sources in science might include raw data or original observations, such as statistics on bee population decline or patent drawings.
• 🖼️ In art, primary sources could be original artworks like a painting by Mary Cassatt or a willow basket by an Apache Indian artist.
• 🗞️ For social studies, primary sources can be historical documents like a newspaper article from the Revolutionary War or a speech transcript.
• 🔍 To distinguish between primary and secondary sources, consider the origin and the nature of the information: is it firsthand or analyzed by others?
• 📖 For research, understanding the difference between primary and secondary sources is crucial for selecting appropriate materials to support your arguments.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the tutorial in the script?

The main purpose of the tutorial is to help users understand the difference between primary and secondary sources, their traits, examples, and when to use each of them.

What are primary sources according to the script?

Primary sources are firsthand accounts such as letters, diaries, speeches, or interviews, created by people who directly witnessed what they are describing.

Can you provide an example of a primary source for social studies mentioned in the script?

An example of a primary source for social studies is a newspaper article written during the Revolutionary War or a transcript of a speech given by George Washington.

What is a primary source example in the field of art?

A primary source example in the field of art could be a willow basket by an Apache Indian artist or Mary Cassatt's painting, Little Girl in Blue Armchair.

How are primary sources useful in science?

In science, primary sources can be statistics about the decline in the population of bees or a drawing from the Wright brothers' patent for their flying machine, allowing one to interpret data firsthand.

When should primary sources be used according to the script?

Primary sources should be used when you want to get a sense of what it was like to experience something in person, such as reading an eyewitness account, viewing photographs, or watching a video.

What characterizes secondary sources as described in the script?

Secondary sources interpret or analyze primary sources and are not created by those who have directly witnessed what they are describing. They are often written by experts who build upon information from primary sources.

Can you give an example of a secondary source in the context of social studies?

A secondary source in social studies could be a book discussing the Revolutionary War from both American and British perspectives or an article analyzing President George Washington's speaking style.

What is the role of secondary sources in the field of art?

In the field of art, secondary sources may include articles about specific weaving techniques or books about an artist's life and paintings, providing expert analysis and interpretation.

When should secondary sources be used as per the script?

Secondary sources should be used for gathering information about a subject, building background knowledge, or reading an expert's analysis of an issue or interpretation of a work of art or literature.

What is the example of a primary source for a paper about Oregon salmon populations?

The primary source for a paper about Oregon salmon populations would be the raw data collected by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife showing salmon counts.

What is the example of a secondary source for a paper about life for children on the Oregon Trail?

The secondary source for a paper about life for children on the Oregon Trail would be a website describing the travel experience by wagon on the Oregon Trail.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Understanding Primary and Secondary Sources

This paragraph introduces the concept of primary and secondary sources, explaining their definitions and differences. Primary sources are original documents or firsthand accounts created by witnesses, such as letters, diaries, speeches, or interviews. Examples include historical documents, artworks, and scientific data. Secondary sources, on the other hand, are interpretations or analyses of primary sources, often written by experts. They summarize, discuss, and evaluate primary source information. Examples provided include books, articles, and documentaries that analyze historical events or art. The paragraph also advises when to use each type of source, emphasizing primary sources for direct experience and secondary sources for expert analysis.

05:00

📘 Applying Primary and Secondary Sources in Research

The second paragraph continues the discussion on primary and secondary sources, providing specific examples for different fields such as social studies, art, and science. It explains how to identify primary sources, like a covered wagon in a museum, and secondary sources, such as websites describing historical events. The paragraph encourages the application of this knowledge in research, suggesting the use of primary sources for an unmediated experience and secondary sources for background knowledge and expert insights. It concludes by directing viewers to OSLIS for more information and thanking the Oregon CLIP Project for their contribution to the tutorial.

Keywords

💡Primary Sources

Primary sources are original documents or accounts created by individuals who have directly experienced or witnessed the events they describe. In the video, primary sources are exemplified by letters, diaries, speeches, or interviews. They are crucial for obtaining a firsthand perspective on historical events, artistic works, or scientific data. For instance, the script mentions a newspaper article from the Revolutionary War or a speech by George Washington as examples of primary sources in social studies.

💡Secondary Sources

Secondary sources are works that analyze, interpret, or summarize primary sources. They are typically created by authors who did not directly experience the events they discuss. The video script illustrates secondary sources with examples such as books discussing historical wars from various perspectives or articles analyzing an artist's painting style. These sources are essential for building background knowledge and understanding expert opinions on a subject.

💡Firsthand Accounts

Firsthand accounts are personal narratives or observations of events, created by those who were present. The video emphasizes the importance of firsthand accounts as a type of primary source, such as eyewitness testimonies or diaries, which provide a direct and authentic perspective on the subject matter. An example from the script is reading an eyewitness account to interpret an event for oneself.

💡Original Documents

Original documents are the raw materials or records that have been created at the time of the events they describe. The video mentions original documents as a form of primary source, such as the journals of Lewis and Clark or a patent drawing by the Wright brothers. These documents are valuable for their authenticity and offer unfiltered information.

💡Interpretation

Interpretation in the context of the video refers to the analysis and explanation of primary sources by secondary sources. It involves drawing conclusions and providing insights based on the original material. For example, the video describes how secondary sources like a biography might interpret an individual's contribution to an event or how an article might interpret an artist's work.

💡Direct Witness

A direct witness is someone who has personally observed an event or phenomenon. The video highlights the significance of direct witnesses in creating primary sources, as their accounts provide an unmediated view of what occurred. The script uses the term in relation to the creation of original documents and firsthand accounts.

💡Eyewitness Account

An eyewitness account is a description of an event or situation given by someone who saw it happen. The video script suggests using primary sources like eyewitness accounts to get a sense of what it was like to experience something in person, such as viewing photographs or watching videos of historical events.

💡Data

In the video, data refers to numerical information or statistics collected, often in a scientific context. It is mentioned as a type of primary source when it is unanalyzed and in numeric form, such as raw data on the population of bees or salmon counts provided by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

💡Themes

Themes are the central ideas or messages in a work of literature, art, or other creative expression. The video uses the term in the context of analyzing Mo Willems' books, where a primary source would be the book itself, allowing one to discover the themes directly, while a secondary source might be a biography explaining how the author's experiences influenced his work.

💡Context

Context in the video refers to the circumstances or setting in which something occurs, which can affect its interpretation. The script mentions the importance of understanding the context of primary and secondary sources to grasp their significance fully. For example, knowing the historical context of a speech or the artistic context of a painting can enrich one's understanding of the material.

💡Research Process

The research process encompasses the steps taken to investigate a subject thoroughly, including identifying, locating, and evaluating sources. The video encourages viewers to explore OSLIS for more information about primary and secondary sources and the entire research process, emphasizing the importance of understanding these concepts for effective research.

Highlights

Tutorial explains the difference between primary and secondary sources.

Primary sources are firsthand accounts like letters, diaries, speeches, or interviews.

Examples of primary sources include Revolutionary War newspaper articles, George Washington's speeches, Lewis and Clark journals, and WWII newsreel footage.

Primary sources can also be an Apache Indian willow basket, Mary Cassatt's painting, or Wassily Kandinsky's artwork.

Use primary sources to get a firsthand experience of an event or to interpret data yourself.

Secondary sources interpret or analyze primary sources and are not created by direct witnesses.

Secondary sources are often written by experts who summarize, discuss, and evaluate primary source information.

Examples of secondary sources include books on the Revolutionary War, articles analyzing George Washington's speaking style, and documentaries about WWII.

Use secondary sources to build background knowledge and see expert analysis of a topic or event.

A primary source for Mo Willems' books is the book 'Waiting Is Not Easy!' itself.

A secondary source for Mo Willems' books is a biography explaining how his childhood influenced his themes.

For Oregon salmon populations, the primary source is raw data from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

A secondary source on Oregon salmon is an article discussing efforts to increase salmon numbers and diversity.

A primary source for life on the Oregon Trail is a covered wagon at a local history museum.

A secondary source for the Oregon Trail is a website describing the wagon travel experience.

The tutorial helps users better understand the distinction between primary and secondary sources.

For more information, explore OSLIS (Oregon School Library Information System).

The tutorial was adapted with permission from the Oregon CLIP Project.

Transcripts

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Do you have an assignment that calls for using

primary or secondary sources?

Do you need some help figuring out which is which?

This tutorial will help you understand

the difference between primary and secondary sources.

You'll learn about their traits, see some examples of each,

and learn when to use each of them.

Primary sources are firsthand accounts,

such as letters, diaries, speeches, or interviews.

They are original documents created

by people who directly witnessed what they're describing,

people who were there.

Let's look at some primary source examples.

For social studies, you may find a newspaper article written

during the Revolutionary War, a transcript of a speech given

by George Washington, excerpts from the journals of Lewis

and Clark, or newsreel video footage of World War II.

For art, you may find a willow basket by an Apache Indian

artist, Mary Cassatt's painting, Little Girl

In Blue Armchair, or Wassily Kandinsky's painting,

Circles In a Circle.

As for science, you may find statistics

about the decline in the population of bees or a drawing

from the Wright brothers' patent for their flying machine.

So when should you use primary sources?

Use primary sources when you want

to get a sense of what it was like to experience something

in person.

For example, you may want to read an eyewitness account,

view photographs, or watch a video.

You may want to interpret data for yourself

or personally reflect on works of art and literature.

In contrast, secondary sources interpret or analyze

primary sources.

They are not created by those who have directly witnessed

what they are describing.

Instead, the authors of secondary sources

are often experts in their field who

build upon information from primary sources

by summarizing, discussing, commenting on, evaluating,

reviewing, drawing conclusions, and so on.

Let's look at some secondary source examples.

For social studies, you may find a book discussing

the Revolutionary War from both the American and the British

perspectives, an article analyzing President George

Washington's speaking style , a biography about

York's contribution to the Lewis and Clark expedition,

or a documentary recounting one of the final events of World

War II.

As for art, you may find an article

about Native American basket weaving techniques,

a book about Mary Cassatt's life and paintings, or a lecture

given about Kandinsky's painting style.

And for science, you may find a newspaper article

about how to help the declining bee

population or a book about how the Wright brothers invented

the airplane.

So when should you use secondary sources?

A common use is for gathering information about a subject,

helping you build background knowledge.

Use secondary sources when you want

to see what others who have studied or investigated a topic

or event have learned about it.

Or you may want to read an expert's analysis of an issue

or interpretation of a work of art or literature.

OK.

Now it's your turn to try.

For a topic about themes in Mo Willems' books,

which of these two examples is a primary source,

and which is a secondary source?

[MUSIC PLAYING]

The primary source is the book, Waiting Is Not

Easy!, written by Mo Willems.

This book is where you can discover one of Mo Willems

themes for yourself.

The secondary source is the biography

about Mo Willems, which may explain

how his childhood influenced the themes in his books.

Which of these two is a primary source

for a paper about Oregon salmon populations?

Which is a secondary source?

[MUSIC PLAYING]

The primary source is the raw data

collected by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

showing Oregon salmon counts.

It's important to remember that in order

for data to count as a primary source,

it must be unanalyzed and in numeric form only.

The example of a secondary source

is the article that discusses the work being

done to increase the number and diversity of salmon.

Now try this last example.

Which is a primary source, and which

is a secondary source for a paper about life for children

on the Oregon Trail?

[MUSIC PLAYING]

The primary source is the covered wagon

that you can see in person at a local history museum.

The secondary source is a web site

describing what it was like to travel by wagon on the Oregon

Trail.

Good thinking.

Now you should better understand the difference

between primary and secondary sources.

For specific examples and for more information

about this topic and the entire research process,

explore OSLIS.

Thank you to the Oregon CLIP Project

for allowing the OSLIS Committee to adapt their tutorials.

OSLIS -- Learn to Research.

Research to Learn.