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Information Literacy Content

Here you will find information literacy content for use in courses or assignments. Concepts such as research, evaluating sources, citation, and library navigation are covered.

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Comparing Resource Levels: Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources


In this section you will compare and contrast several important aspects of resource levels, including:

  • How primary, secondary, and tertiary sources are created and who created them
  • Factors impacting the preservation and availability of primary, secondary, and tertiary sources
  • The importance of context when evaluating primary, secondary, and tertiary sources
  • The appropriate use of primary, secondary, and tertiary sources in research

The Differences Between Resource Levels


We can see by their definitions that there are distinct differences between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources. These differences extend also to the ways that different levels of sources are created, who created them, how they are preserved, and their context and use in research. The three tabs below contain infographics that outline these characteristics for each of the resource levels, and the video a little further down compares and contrasts all three on these points.

 

Understanding Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources Video