Primary vs Secondary Comparison
|
Primary Sources |
Secondary Sources |
|
Also Known As
|
Original research articles |
Review articles (e.g. systematic review or meta-analysis) |
| Purpose |
To share the findings of an experiment or study. |
To summarize or analyze the findings of previous research on a specific topic. |
| Author(s) |
Performed the experiment/study themselves. |
Did no original experiment. Writing about the findings of previous research. |
| Methods section? |
Required. Describes how experiment was performed. |
Not required, but if it has one, will list databases and search words used to search for previous articles/research. |
| References list? |
Yes |
Yes |
Ultimately, the #1 way to tell if an article is primary or secondary is to look at the Methods section. For more explanation and some examples of primary and secondary sources, visit the following link:
