(Quarter 2 in English 10 - Notebook # 1)

PRIMARY & SECONDARY SOURCES

Your locational skills in gathering information from primary and secondary sources will
guarantee your best research work.

How do Primary and Secondary Sources differ?

PRIMARY SOURCES
 These are original records of the political, economic, artistic, scientific, social, and
intellectual thoughts and achievements of specific historical periods.
 Produced by the people who participated in and witnessed the past, primary sources
offer a variety of points of view and perspectives of events, issues, people, and
places.
 These records can be found anywhere – in a home, a government archive, etc. – the
important thing to remember is they were used or created by someone with firsthand
experience of an event.
 Letters, diaries, photographs and videos are all primary sources.

SECONDARY SOURCES
 These are documents, texts, images, and objects about an event created by
someone who is typically the primary sources for their information.
 Dictionaries, reviews, handbooks, encyclopedias, directories are excellent examples
of these sources.
 QUIZ 1

Determine whether the following are primary or secondary sources. Click the letter
indicating whether the item is a "P" primary source or "S" secondary source.

1. A Journey through Anglo – American Literature (English 9)

2. A letter written by a Filipino soldier to his mother about the latest developments in the
Revolutionary War.

3. The Diary of Anne Frank - the published diary of a teenage girl who experiences the
Holocaust.

4. Your World History textbook or an encyclopedia.

5. Your high school diploma.

6. A photograph of you and your friends at your 8th birthday party.

7. The information from the museum tour guide who shows you around the exhibit and
shares facts with you.

8. “Hello, Love, Goodbye” movie review

9. LONG WALK TO FREEDOM – The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela

10. Merriam – Webster Dictionary

KEY ANSWER:

1. S
2. P
3. P
4. S
5. P
6. P
7. S
8. S
9. P
10. S
 QUIZ 2

Go over the following cards below. Distinguish which ones use primary sources or
secondary sources. Click PS for firsthand sources and SS for things created using an
original source.

My friends and I found an old wedding dress in our house.

My father told us that it belonged to his mom.

I like to read People magazine. I really like the articles

about my favorite local artists.

At school we use textbooks to learn about the history of

the Philippines.

I found a letter to one of my friends in class after school

the other day. I know it’s private, but I want to read it!

I was watching a local news program and one of the

reporters said he had heard good reviews about a new
sports movie.

I am writing an essay on President Duterte for my History

class. I used articles from Wikipedia and encyclopedia as
my references.
 When I was at a summer vacation at my parents’
hometown in Bataan, I found an arrowhead. I learned that
it has been made by the early Filipinos that time.

My friend Maria said I should read a book that she really

liked. She told me about it – it sounds really good! When
Maria talks about the book, what is she?

When I am doing a homework for my Philosophy class, I

read the commentaries by the Supreme Court Justices on
landmark cases. What I am reading?

My mom has CDs of my grandparents telling stories about

when they were kids. We love to listen to these at family
gatherings. What are we listening to?

KEY ANSWER:

1. PS
2. SS
3. SS
4. PS
5. PS
6. SS
7. PS
8. PS
9. PS
10. PS