Examples of Primary and Secondary Sources


A source of information It is an instrument that contains useful data to satisfy a demand for information or knowledge. For instance: books, laws, movies or encyclopedias.

Types of fonts

  • Primary sources. They have original and new data or information. Its content has not been evaluated, filtered, altered, modified or interpreted. They are the result of creative activity, research, or any intellectual work. They contain first-hand information and are used during investigative processes. For instance: technical reports, official public documents, books, laws, scientific journals, patents, newspapers, newspapers, films, theses, scores, photographs, monographs, scientific articles, letters.
  • Secondary sources. They provide primary information reorganized, extracted, interpreted or synthesized. They are used when the primary source cannot be accessed, when the primary source is unreliable, or when resources are limited. They allow to confirm or expand the primary information. For instance: dictionaries, atlases, yearbooks, censuses, encyclopedias, indexes, databases, bibliographies.
  • Tertiary sources. They are documents that compile information from secondary sources. In them documents that contain titles of periodical publications are gathered. They function as a guide. For instance: bibliography of bibliographies or reference and reference work guides.