A secondary source is one that was created later by someone that did not experience firsthand or participate in the events in which the author is writing about. Secondary sources often summarize, interpret, analyze or comment on information found in primary sources.
Common examples of secondary sources include:
| Academic Discipline | Primary Source | Secondary Source |
|---|---|---|
| Science (Biology, Chemistry, etc.) | A research study that contains materials, methods, and results section describing an experiment performed by the author(s) | An article commenting on the results of an original study |
| History | Slave narrative | Book about the underground railroad |
| Nursing | A quantitative or qualitative study that contains a materials, methods and results section describing an experiment performed by the author(s) | A review article that summarizes what is known about a topic |
| Psychology | Patient interview tape | Biography of Sigmund Freud |
| Business | NASDAQ stock quote | Historical stock analysis |
| Political Science | US Census statistics | Book about urban population changes in the US |
| English | Poem | Criticism of the poem |