Published and unpublished sources of secondary data

This ppt covers Secondary Source of Data Collection - Published & Unpublished which covers Types of Secondary Source of Data
Published Sources
Unpublished Sources
Advantages of Secondary Data
Limitations of Secondary Data
Precautions to be taken before using Secondary Data
Key Differences between Primary and Secondary Data

Índice Show

What's the difference?
Primary Sources and Research
Secondary Sources and Research
Comparison Chart
What is published and unpublished sources?
What are the published sources of secondary data?
What is published source?
What are the 5 sources of secondary data?

What's the difference?

Telling the difference between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources can often be confusing because the difference is more about the content of the source than the published format. The format may be a first indicator of whether or not a source is primary, but evaluating the content will be the ultimate judgement call.

Primary and secondary sources often differ based on the academic discipline.

This page will give you some guidance on deciding whether a source can be considered primary or not. Many of the formats listed on this guide will exist in both physical and digital modes.

To start, the following video from the Australian National University Library gives an excellent explanation of the different contexts in which sources can be considered primary, secondary, or tertiary.

Primary Sources and Research

Primary sources are the original documents of an event or discovery. Primary sources are also records of events as they are first described. They are often considered the most credible sources of evidence and are complimented by secondary which will analyze and give context to primary sources.

Some examples of primary sources are:

diaries and letters
academic articles reporting NEW data and findings - these are often peer reviewed and called empirical research
works of literature (poems, novels, etc.)
works of fine art (paintings, sculpture, pottery, etc.)
works of performance art (music, fictional films, plays, musicals, operas, etc.
official records from a government, judicial court, or company
maps
oral histories
speeches
autobiographies
eyewitness new reports*

*Newspaper articles that report on a recent event can be primary sources, but articles that rehash previous events are not primary sources, unless they add new information to the story.

Where do I find primary sources?

It depends on your discipline, but here are are some places to start.

Academic journals are the main place that most researchers will initially publish the results of their research and/or experiments, though some disciplines will favor book length publications.
Creative works like novels, films, music, and other works of art can often be found through the library catalog or special databases from that discipline.
Historical sources like newspapers, diaries, letters, oral histories, and more can be found through archival collections, like the Genesee Historical Collections Center and the many online archival databases we subscribe to.
The library's homepage search box or subject specific database are great places to start searching!

Thompson Library Research Guides
All of the library's research and course guides. Find databases and resources on specific disciplines.

Secondary Sources and Research

Secondary sources offer an analysis or a restatement of an event or discovery described in primary sources. They interpret, explain, critique, or otherwise analyze primary sources. Some secondary sources are used to persuade the reader and may be considered less objective.

Examples of secondary sources include:

criticism of a work of art, music, or fiction
publications that discuss or analyze a topic
articles and editorials that interpret or review research works or other primary sources*
some nonfiction books written for general public for entertainment purposes rather than scholarship
some textbooks

*Many academic articles include short literature reviews to establish a starting place or a jumping off point for their own, original research; these are still considered primary sources. However, articles that only review or analyze previously published articles and contain no new research are secondary sources; these articles are called systematic literature reviews and can be good sources of information about the state of research on a certain topic.

Where do I find secondary sources?

It depends on your discipline, but here are are some places to start.

Academic journals will often publish review articles or publications that critically analyze .
News sources that offer editorials
The library's homepage search box or subject specific database are great places to start searching!

Thompson Library Research Guides
All of the library's research and course guides. Find databases and resources on specific disciplines.

Tertiary sources offer a summary or restatement of facts and research from both primary and secondary sources. The main difference between secondary and tertiary sources is that tertiary sources offer no new information and no analysis of the information from primary and secondary sources.

Tertiary sources are often great places to collect background information and to help locate primary and secondary research.

Examples of tertiary sources include:

dictionaries
encyclopedias
bibliographies
some textbooks

Where do I find tertiary sources?

The following databases contain reference sources like encyclopedia, dictionaries, and handbooks.

Encyclopedia Britannica Online This link opens in a new window
Authoritative coverage of thousands of topics in all areas of study.
Gale Ebooks This link opens in a new window
Recent editions of many major reference books.
Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new window
Over 400 dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works published by Oxford University Press
SAGE Knowledge This link opens in a new window
A searchable collection of over 150 scholarly encyclopedias, handbooks, and reference books in the social sciences.
Very Short Introductions This link opens in a new window
Concise introductions to a diverse range of subject areas in the sciences, social sciences, and arts and humanities.

Comparison Chart

	Primary research	Secondary research	Gray Literature	Tertiary source
Also called	primary source original research	secondary source desk research literature review	gray literature	reference works
Definition	Primary research means the collection of data for the first time or the transformation of raw data into new forms as a precursor of analysis. Original report of research direct from the researchers that did the work. Primary research includes qualitative and quantitative research and can include surveys, focus groups, questionnaires, and interviews.	Secondary research does not generate new data. It comments on and analyzes the primary research of other research projects. Secondary research accesses primary source research that are in libraries, databases, and archives.	Written materials which fall between primary and secondary sources Refers to research that is either unpublished or has been published in non-commercial form.	Sources which summarize but do not provide new information or analyze other sources of information. Tertiary sources revisits or references primary and secondary research.
Examples of common source formats	Journal articles reporting original (NEW) research, empirical data, and statistics. Experiments, clinical trials, case studies Government documents Manuscripts Maps Laws and court decisions Letters and correspondence Diaries Census and demographic records Creative works such as poetry, music, drama, fiction, art	Journal or magazine articles that interpret or discuss previous research findings. Reviews of books, movies, art, plays Books that discuss or analyze a topic Biographies	Government reports White papers Policy statements and issues papers Conference proceedings Theses and dissertations Private sector research reports Geological and geophysical surveys Technical reports Newsletters and bulletins	Encyclopedias Indexes and abstracts Bibliographies Textbooks Fact sheets

What is published and unpublished sources?

Generally, publication occurs on the date on which copies of the work are first made available to the public. Unpublished works are those which have not been distributed in any manner.

What are the published sources of secondary data?

Published source of secondary data means data which is published in various publications, it includes government publications, census of india, semi government publications journals, newspaper etc.

What is published source?

Publication Source is a single line text field used to display the official title of the journal, book, or other medium in which the document was published. If entering a book chapter, list the name of the book in this field.