What is a secondary source?
Secondary sources analyze, describe, discuss, or summarize primary sources. In general, a secondary source is one or more steps removed from the event, time period, or person being discussed, and are written after the fact with the benefit of hindsight. Secondary sources can include:
- Biographies
- Reference sources like dictionaries or encyclopedias
- Literature reviews
- Works of criticism or interpretation as in many scholarly articles
Google Scholar
Interlibrary Loan
Use Interlibrary Loan to request a PDF of an article that isn't available at Lehigh or a scanned PDF of a print article that Lehigh owns. You will get an email when the article is ready for download.
Similarities Among Databases
Auto generated citations: 1 votes (5.56%)
Subject searching: 12 votes (66.67%)
Peer reviewed material: 3 votes (16.67%)
Full text articles: 2 votes (11.11%)
Total Votes: 18
Off Campus Access to Library Resources
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Scholarly vs. Popular
(Image from Randolph Community College Library)
Subject Headings vs. Keywords
Video created by WMHS Library, Wellington, New Zealand