Primary and Secondary Resources
Primary and secondary sources are resources that are used used in research. A primary source is a document, speech or other evidence that was written or created during the time under study (Blum, 2010). These original sources offer an insight into a particular event. Examples of primary sources are: the constitution of Canada, the Declaration of Independence, the diary of Anne Frank, Plato's Republic and weaving from Native American history. A secondary source is a document or recording that analyses and interprets primary sources. Secondary sources involve generalisation, analysis, synthesis, interpretation or evaluation of the original information (Booth, 2013). Examples of secondary sources are: essays or reviews, textbooks, articles, criticisms and commentaries. Primary sources are more reliable than secondary sources as it is evidence of specific historical event that took place in that time period. Secondary sources are less reliable as they are procured after the event, therefore reducing their credibility. However, a disadvantage to primary sources is that they can present only one perspective. This perspective could have limited fact.