Primary, Secondary, Or Tertiary?

Reviewed by Editorial Team
The ProProfs editorial team is comprised of experienced subject matter experts. They've collectively created over 10,000 quizzes and lessons, serving over 100 million users. Our team includes in-house content moderators and subject matter experts, as well as a global network of rigorously trained contributors. All adhere to our comprehensive editorial guidelines, ensuring the delivery of high-quality content.
Learn about Our Editorial Process
| By Sarahmorehouse
S
Sarahmorehouse
Community Contributor
Quizzes Created: 4 | Total Attempts: 8,920
| Attempts: 5,950 | Questions: 10
Please wait...
Question 1 / 10
0 %
0/100
Score 0/100
1. Interview Transcript
Page of a transcript from interview of Judge Harry A. Blackmun

Explanation

Transcripts and recordings of interviews are primary sources. They're as close to first-hand as you can get.

Submit
Please wait...
About This Quiz
Primary, Secondary, Or Tertiary? - Quiz

A quick self-quiz to see if you can identify primary, secondary, and tertiary sources.

2. Magazine Article

Explanation

Magazine articles like this are usually secondary sources.

Submit
3. Data
Two graphs depicting voltage, solar panel temperature, and avg. solar panel input.

Explanation

In science and social science research, the raw data is a primary source.

Science and social science datasets are often found on the web, put there by the researchers or the institutions that sponsor them.

Submit
4. Old NewspaperClipping from a Civil War era newspaper

Explanation

Newspapers and other documents from the era you are studying are primary sources.

Submit
5. Reference Book

Explanation

Encyclopedias, as well as dictionaries, handbooks, manuals, guides, and many other kinds of reference sources, are tertiary sources. This is because they bring together the information discovered and interpreted by many scholars.

Submit
6. Documentary

Explanation

Most documentaries are secondary resources because they interpret and explain the primary sources (documents... documentaries... !)

Submit
7. Non-fiction Book
Cover of the book

Explanation

Non-fiction books, whether scholarly or non-scholarly, are almost always secondary sources. The only exceptions are when they are reference books (tertiary sources) or from a time period that you are studying (so you are using them as primary sources.)

Submit
8. Journal ArticleCover of Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies (in Asia)

Explanation

Scholarly articles are secondary sources. They interpret the information found in primary sources.

Submit
9. Literary Work

Explanation

When you are studying literature, the work you are studying is the primary source. When you are studying history and culture, a piece of literature (or other artform) from that time, place, and culture might be used as a primary source too.

Submit
10. Primary Sources are

Explanation

All the options are correct, except for scholarly. Primary sources are not divided into scholarly versus non-scholarly, because they are used as evidence of how something happened, just as fingerprints are evidence at a crime scene regardless of the expertise or reputation of the person who left them!

Submit
View My Results

Quiz Review Timeline (Updated): Mar 22, 2023 +

Our quizzes are rigorously reviewed, monitored and continuously updated by our expert board to maintain accuracy, relevance, and timeliness.

  • Current Version
  • Mar 22, 2023
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • Mar 04, 2011
    Quiz Created by
    Sarahmorehouse
Cancel
  • All
    All (10)
  • Unanswered
    Unanswered ()
  • Answered
    Answered ()
Interview Transcript
Magazine Article
Data
Old Newspaper
Reference Book
Documentary
Non-fiction Book
Journal Article
Literary Work
Primary Sources are
Alert!

Advertisement