Primary sources include original content, first-hand accounts, raw data, documents or objects created at the time of study. Primary sources vary dependent upon the focus of study.
For example, primary sources for a historian will include diaries, letters, newspaper article written at the time of an event; for a literary scholar, she may study a poem, a short story, or novel; for a musicologist, she may study notes written by the composer; for a biologist, she will study the findings of an original research project.
Secondary sources interpret or analyze a primary source. A secondary source provides commentary and discussion of a primary source.
For example, a magazine article that discusses a research study that analyzed data collected from a survey about literacy in rural school districts.
Article databases index popular, professional/trade, and scholarly journals (or peer reviewed). Peer reviewed or refereed articles refers to the process in which articles are reviewed by professionals in a field of study before being published. A journal's website should explain the publishing process and if it is peer reviewed or not. Many times, professors use the term peer reviewed and scholarly articles synonymously.
CRITERIA | SCHOLARLY | POPULAR | PROFESSIONAL/TRADE |
AUTHOR | Researcher, scholar, or specialist with expertise in the subject; author's credentials are provided | Journalist or staff writer; paid to write articles; may or may not be an expert in the subject | Usually practitioners and professionals in the field (has subject expertise) |
AUDIENCE | Experts, scholars, researchers, professors and students in the field | General public | Professionals in the field; may appeal to the general public |
PURPOSE | In-depth report of original research/findings written by the researcher; communicate scholarship | Current events and general interest stories; may report about other's research; to entertain and inform | Report current news, trends, and products about a specific industry; share practical information for professionals in the field |
TONE | Scholarly or technical jargon or terminology | Accessible and readily understood by a larger audience. | Professional jargon or terminology |
REFERENCES | Sources are cited in a bibliography, references, endnotes, or footnotes | Rare | Few, if any, sources cited |
REVIEW | Refereed or reviewed by scholars in the field | Editor | Editor |
LENGTH | Usually 5+ pages; often includes an abstract, goals and objectives, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion | Usually short, a few pages | Usually short, a few pages |
ADVERTISING | Little to none; occasional ads for professional organizations or publications | Numerous ads for a variety of products and services | Many ads for products, services, and organizations related to the profession or trade |
FREQUENCY | Issues published quarterly, semi-annually, or annually | Issues published weekly or monthly | Issues published weekly or monthly |
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION | A book review or editorial published in a scholarly journal does not fit the criteria for a scholarly article. |
A collection of digital magazines, including The Atlantic, Time, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, Bloomberg Businessweek, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Newsweek, Columbia Journalism Review, Ebony, Forbes, the National Review, and more.
Flipster is available through WSU Apps. You need to use a web browser to download issues into the app to read them. Additional information is available in our Flipster Guide.