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Sociology and Criminology: Primary vs. Secondary Sources

This guide aims to help you with your sociology research.

Primary and Secondary Sources

Primary Sources

Original document; first hand information on a topic or event; original research or thought.

 Examples:

  • Original creative works (art, music, poetry, etc.)
  • Scholarly research
  • Results of scientific experiments
  • Results of clinical trials
  • First hand account of an event
  • Government records (births, census, deaths)

Secondary Sources

Sources that analyze, evaluate, interpret, describe, or criticize original documents.

Examples:

  • Critique of creative work
  • Analysis, evaluation of research
  • Review of results of the scientific experiments
  • Analysis of results of clinical trials