Research · Study
secondary source
source analysing material
A secondary source explains or analyses information from primary sources.
This vs that
The survey data is a primary source.
The journal article is a secondary source.
Hear it in real life
Is this article based on the original survey data?
No, it's a secondary source that discusses the survey.
I started with a secondary source to understand the background before reading the original documents.
Which sounds natural?
Psst — which one would you actually say?
The native version is the standard way to describe an analytical source.
The mistake everyone makes
Not: This history book is a secondary source because it is second-hand information.
Say: This history book is a secondary source because it analyses original information.
The key point is analysis of primary material, not simply being second-hand.
Build it
How it fits in a sentence.
a secondary source; consult/use a secondary source
Phrases to borrow
More for talking about research.
find evidence to support ___
We need to find evidence to support that claim.
Research words
Study · Research: the words around “secondary source”.
More connectionsEasy to mix up · More research words9
Your turn: say it out loud
It's a secondary source that explains the original research.
Say it out loud two or three times, until it feels like yours.
secondary source
source analysing material
“I started with a secondary source to understand the background before reading the original documents.”
heytardy