INQS 125 Instruction Guide

A primary source is a document or physical object that was written or created during the time one is studying. Primary sources were present during the time period or experience. Some primary sources are:

• Original documents such as diaries, manuscripts, speeches, letters, interviews, autobiographies, photographs, and official records.
• Creative work such as poetry, drama, novels, music, and art.

A secondary source is something that interprets and analyzes primary sources. It is a secondhand account of what a different writer has experienced. These sources are removed from the event. Some secondary sources are:

• Publications such as textbooks, scholastic articles, encyclopedias
• A work that remarks on an event years after the actual event occurred

How to tell the difference between articles published in popular magazines and those published in scholarly journals?

Scholarly Journals

• Audience: written for professionals, researchers, or scholars
• Length: tend to be long articles supported by research and extensive bibliographies
• Author: written by professionals, researchers, or scholars; are often refereed or peer reviewed
• Style: uses scholarly or technical language, not easily understood by the general reader

Popular (Magazines)

• Audience:  written for a general audience
• Length: usually shorter than scholarly journal articles
• Author: journalist or professional writer
• Style: easy to comprehend by the general reader