What distinguishes a primary source from a secondary source?

A primary source is distinguished by its role in providing firsthand evidence or original material. This means it offers direct insight or direct information about a particular event, thing, or topic, often created at the time under study. Examples of primary sources include diaries, interviews, original research, artworks, or legal documents.

In contrast, secondary sources analyze, interpret, or evaluate primary sources or other secondary sources, thus they do not offer the direct, original perspectives that primary sources do. While it’s important to consider the reliability of any source, the defining characteristic of primary sources is their immediacy and originality, rather than their reliability compared to secondary sources. The notion that a primary source interprets or analyzes data pertains more to secondary sources, as they typically do the interpreting of original material rather than provide it themselves.