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Library - Information Literacy Module: Tutorial 9: Primary sources versus secondary sources

Information literacy for UJ students. Start with "1 Why Information Literacy" and end with "9 Writing & Referencing"

STEP 1: Primary sources versus secondary sources

  • A primary source is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study.
  • A secondary source interprets and analyses primary sources. These sources are one or more steps removed from the event. Secondary sources may have pictures, quotes or graphics of primary sources in them.