Sean's Opinions and Definitions
Definition and examples of a primary source:
A primary source is a source taken directly from an event/time. They are the original material. They are useful for getting raw information, however will sometimes be a little bit more tedious to get through than refined secondary sources. 5 Examples are: -A newspaper article from the time period -A letter from one person of interest to another -A photograph taken during the event -A report on the current status from the event -A diary containing information on the event from a person who witnessed it |
Definition and examples of a secondary source:
A secondary source is a source that has refined the information from a primary source, however has no straight connection to the event, it is not original. A secondary source is useful as it can give a lot of information, but secondary sources often have contrasting information with each other, and can sometimes lack the raw, empathic feeling that a Primary source will give you. 5 Examples are : -A documentary on an event -A textbook with a section on the event -A report written on the event -A current newspaper article on the previous event -A Wiki page dedicated to information on the event |
If you were to choose a source based on it's reliability, what would you choose and why?
Both primary and secondary sources have their pros and cons. However, if one was to choose one for its reliability, I would choose a primary source, essentially because of how original it is. If the information is refined and put into a secondary document, there may have been some information that the author chose to exclude, or they may have interpreted some things differently to how I would interpret them. The author of a secondary source does not know what I am looking for, and therefore cannot give me all of the information I require. A primary source just has everything, however it takes longer to comprehend and I would have to really search to find what I was looking for. Overall, I believe that the primary source is more reliable as it is a direct extract from the event, and therefore contains the information that is closest to the truth.
Both primary and secondary sources have their pros and cons. However, if one was to choose one for its reliability, I would choose a primary source, essentially because of how original it is. If the information is refined and put into a secondary document, there may have been some information that the author chose to exclude, or they may have interpreted some things differently to how I would interpret them. The author of a secondary source does not know what I am looking for, and therefore cannot give me all of the information I require. A primary source just has everything, however it takes longer to comprehend and I would have to really search to find what I was looking for. Overall, I believe that the primary source is more reliable as it is a direct extract from the event, and therefore contains the information that is closest to the truth.
Hayden's Opinions and Definitions
Definition and examples of a primary source:
A primary source is a source of information that is from the event you are studying. This could mean being from the date you are studying, from a person who was there or a journal written by a witness who was there. A primary source is the most reliable way to get information, yet it can be tedious to look through and find what you are looking for. Some examples of a primary source include: - A diary or journal from the event or from a witness. - Quotes from someone who was at the event. - Items found at the scene of the event. - A letter to or from someone who was at the event. - A newspaper article dated from that period of time. |
Definition and examples of a secondary source:
A secondary source is a source of information that has been collected and refined by someone who is not the author or who was not there during the event. A secondary is the most efficient source of information as it is mostly all located in one book or website. The downside to a secondary source is that the author that compiled the information could have skipped over some key parts or in some cases could be wrong. Some examples of a secondary source are: - A webpage that can have many authors, like Wikipedia. - A history textbook. - A newspaper or magazine article from our time period, focused on an event in the past. - A film or documentary on an event from the past, such as World War 1. - An encyclopedia. |
If you were to choose a source based on it's reliability, what would you choose and why?
If I were to choose a source of information due to it’s reliability, I would choose a primary source. A secondary source, although more efficient and easy to find, can be less reliable because an author may choose to skip over some vital information or may miss out on some key facts accidentally. While it can be more tedious to sift through the different formats and sources of information, all the information you find from a primary source is usually true as it is directly from the event or person you are studying.
If I were to choose a source of information due to it’s reliability, I would choose a primary source. A secondary source, although more efficient and easy to find, can be less reliable because an author may choose to skip over some vital information or may miss out on some key facts accidentally. While it can be more tedious to sift through the different formats and sources of information, all the information you find from a primary source is usually true as it is directly from the event or person you are studying.