Types of sources

Types of sources

By Alejandro Caraza and Jorge Alonso Valencia

01

What is a source?

There are 2 types of sources

• Primary sources
• Secondary sources

Primary source

What is a primary source?

These are original materials or first-hand accounts of an event or topic. Examples include diaries, letters, photographs, research studies, interviews, and historical documents. Primary sources provide direct evidence of a subject and are often used in historical research.

Secondary souce

What is a secondary source?

• Secondary sources are created by individuals who were not directly involved in the event or topic under investigation. They provide analysis, interpretation, or summaries of primary sources or other secondary sources. Examples include textbooks, review articles, and biographies.