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ENGL 1102 - Comp II - THOMPSON: Classifying Sources

Criticism vs. Review

What is the difference between a book review and scholarly criticism?

Scholarly literary criticism is defined as,
"...Literary criticism can be published as journal articles or full-length book.  In general, it is the peer-reviewed work of  scholars who discuss a particular text or texts, including fiction, poetry, plays, films, and other works.  A work of literary criticism differs from a book review in that it is typically a more in-depth critique of a work, and it's most often intended for an academic audience."

One caveat: News reports/newspaper articles

News reports and newspaper articles can be primary or secondary sources, depending on the point of view. If a reporter is reporting on an event he or she took part in or witnessed first hand, it would be considered a primary source. For example, if a reporter witnessed and then reported on a Congressional hearing, the article would a primary source.

If the reporter is analyzing an event that took place by collecting facts after the event, it would be a secondary source.

Classifying Sources: Primary, Secondary, Tertiary

When searching for sources, you will likely get a lot of results. However, not all of the sources you find are the same type, and not all of them will be used in your research the same way. 

One way to classify sources is by the source's function and relationship to original ideas and original information. The categories we use for this are Primary sources, Secondary sources, and Tertiary sources. 

Adapted from "File:Sources of information diagram.svg" by Raster graphic Jreferee Derivative vector Jdcollins13 is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Primary sources represent original work and/or document an event at the time of its occurrence. 

  • Photographs
  • Letters
  • A work of fiction
  • A table displaying raw data

Secondary sources are analyses of/responses to primary sources. They can also synthesize several primary sources (and even other secondary sources) in an analytical way. Secondary sources may or may not be peer-reviewed.

  • A book review
  • An article in a peer-reviewed journal

Tertiary sources are generally summative in nature; they cover the broad ideas, trends, and themes of a given subject without a particularly critical or analytic lens. 

  • A dictionary entry 
  • an encyclopedia of American History
  • Cliff's Notes of Moby Dick

Primary Sources

Primary source documents are documents created by witnesses of events being documented. They offer an inside viewpoint. They can include:

  • Primary sources include:
    • charters
    • texts of legislative bills
    • U.S. code
    • court decisions
    • correspondence
    • autobiographies
    • diaries
    • memoirs
    • journal articles that present original research
    • technical reports
    • early works
    • interviews
    • manuscripts
    • oratory
    • pamphlets
    • personal narratives
    • speeches
    • letters

Some examples include:

  • Diary of Anne Frank - Experiences of a Jewish family during WWII 
  • The Constitution of Canada - Canadian History 
  • A journal article reporting NEW research or findings

Source: Princeton University

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources interpret and analyze primary sources. They are written after an event has occurred, and provide analysis and secondhand accounts of events/topics because they are one or more steps removed from the event. The perspective, interpretation, and conclusion of a secondary source may be different from that of the primary source.

Secondary sources include:

  • journal and magazine articles that interpret previous findings (such as literature reviews)
  • encyclopedias
  • textbooks
  • books that interpret information (such as historical events or research conducted by others)