What Is Citation and Why Is It Important?
Citation literally means citation or reference to sources. When the author of an article wants to use the scientific results of previous researchers, he must refer to or cite the previous article. Citing or referencing sources is the most important aspect of writing an academic essay.
The concern of researchers in using resources
Academic sources include scholarly books, articles, and research papers that are peer-reviewed, credible, and authoritative. However, there is confusion among researchers in understanding what literature counts as a source and which type of source to use for their research.
This DoNotEdit article will help researchers understand the difference between the types of sources and explain when each resource should be used.
Primary vs. Secondary Sources
Primary and secondary sources help researchers through their literature study of their research topic. For optimal and correct use of sources, the nature of each source and the reason for its use must be identified. This helps researchers to distinguish between their own contribution and the argument expressed by the sources used.
Primary sources provide direct evidence of a subject. Meanwhile, secondary sources provide analyzes based on existing primary sources. For example, if someone is researching the American Civil War, the primary source is a letter written by a soldier who fought in the war, while the secondary source would be a history book about the war.
When writing a research paper, it is essential to use primary and secondary sources to understand the topic accurately.
What Is a Primary Source?
A primary source is a first-hand record of an event. These are the events or evidence that are first described without any commentary or interpretation. This source gives researchers direct access to the research topic and showcases original thinking, reports on discoveries, or shares new information.
Examples of Primary Sources
Theses, dissertations, scholarly journal articles (research-based), government reports, symposia and conference proceedings, original artwork, poems, photographs, speeches, letters, memos, personal narratives, diaries, interviews, autobiographies, and correspondence.
What Is a Secondary Source?
A secondary source provides an analysis or a restatement of a primary source. Secondary sources provide second-hand information and interpretations based on primary sources. These types of sources mainly include peer-reviewed academic sources, such as journal articles, books, and book chapters for research.
Examples of Secondary Sources
Textbooks, edited works, books, and articles that interpret or review research works, histories, biographies, literary criticism, interpretation, reviews of law and legislation, political analyses, and commentaries.
Primary sources
Primary sources are original documents that provide first-hand records. For example, diaries, artwork, poems, letters, journals, treaties, and speeches are all primary sources.
These are written by researchers or writers seeking information while conducting and reporting research using primary sources.
Secondary Sources
Secondary sources are interpretations of primary sources. For example, they can be articles, television documentaries, conferences, biographies, essays, and critiques of a piece of art.
These are written by experienced people who are directly involved in the research study. Professors, historians, and scientists in specific fields may write these.
Deciding Between Primary and Secondary Sources
Deciding between primary and secondary sources and identifying them is difficult. Researchers often experience this situation while composing research papers, assignments, or journal articles. Finding the right source is the most important factor while citing information. A researcher must know which kind of source is best for their research project.
Following are some points that will assist researchers in understanding and distinguishing between primary and secondary sources:
The primary sources include works by individuals commenting on a theory or event.
The secondary sources are often pieces of writing that elaborate on the source.
The primary sources comprise original research work initiated by scientists.
In secondary sources, the information obtained from the primary sources forms the baseline of the content.
The primary sources comprise data obtained from surveys, census, economic statistics, or other datasets that have not been recorded earlier.
The secondary sources also contain such data and are referenced to the original primary sources.
Secondary sources are mostly scholarly. A source is considered scholarly when the authors are not directly involved in gathering the original information.
Secondary sources could be a compilation of information from different primary sources.
Determining the Credibility of Sources before Citing them
Apart from understanding the difference between primary and secondary sources, a critical aspect of sources is determining their credibility before citing them. Researchers should check the sources they want to cite in their research study. This will help them avoid the inclusion of false information in articles, research papers, journals, or writing assignments.
Popular Secondary Source Citation Formats
Some of the popular secondary source citation formats include the MLA (Modern Language Association) style guide, the APA (American Psychology Association) style guide, and the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS). These citation styles enable writers to correctly cite information obtained from various sources.
The MLA style
In MLA style, the citations consist of two parts: a brief in-text citation in the body of the essay and a detailed list of the “Works Cited” at the end of the work. In MLA style citation, the elements are listed in the following order: author, the title of the source, the title of the container, other contributors, version, number, publisher, publication date, and location.
APA Referencing Style
This style is an author-date style. The citation in the text consists of the author(s) and the year of publication given either wholly or partly in parentheses. In the APA style citation, use only the surname of the author(s) followed by a comma and the year of publication. Include the page, chapter, or section numbers if you need to be specific. There is no distinction between books, journal articles, internet documents, or other formats except for electronic documents that do not provide page numbers.
The CMOS
The CMOS provides guidelines for two styles of citation: author-date and notes and bibliography:
In the author-date style (mostly used in sciences), researchers use brief parenthetical references to cite sources in the text.
In notes and bibliography style (mostly used in the humanities), researchers use footnotes or endnotes to cite sources.
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Conclusion
Consequently, it is essential for early career researchers to understand the differences between primary and secondary sources before starting their research journey. Research papers based on incorrect citations can be rejected outright. The best way to learn primary and secondary sources is to consult with a professor or a senior expert in your field of study, such as the experts of DoNotEdit Company. Once you understand the concept, it will be easier for you to identify primary and secondary sources.
When in doubt, always cite the source from which you got the information.