There are many types of research that are carried out at different levels. For every, there are information and data that are essential and there are many sources where they can be obtained. For many researchers, research might leave them wondering credential sources where they can obtain the required information. This is why it is a requirement that before carrying out any research, good planning should be done involving the possible sources of data that might be used ( Santiago Canyon College. 2020) . Different types of sources can be used in psychology and it is essential that the researcher understands these sources so as to choose the appropriate for the research topic. This paper comprehensively discusses three major types of research sources, including how they are used and the differences between them.
Primary Sources
This type of source is also known as the original source. A primary source gives first-hand or direct evidence about an object, event, a person or any task being researched. Various types of primary sources can be used in the field of psychology ( Library of Congress. (2020) . Some of the common examples include; eye witness accounts, audio, and video recordings, results from experiments undertaken, speeches, historical and legal documents fieldwork and many more ( Santiago Canyon College. 2020) . One major example of a primary source that is widely used in social sciences is interviewing and this might be carried out one on one or through email and other mediums. In natural and social sciences such as psychology, primary sources may include empirical studies. This is where direct observation will be made or experiments performed. The main difference between primary sources and other types of sources such as secondary and general is that primary sources are that the data or information obtained for the research is firsthand. More importantly, the primary sources are written by the author while other sources may be written or performed by someone other than the author.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Secondary sources
These are sources that have been designed or created by a person who did not participate in the event or someone who did not experience first-hand conditions that the researcher is looking for. They are sources that discuss, describe, interpret, evaluate, analyze, summarize or comment upon primary data that had been obtained earlier by another author ( Santiago Canyon College. 2020) . In some cases, the secondary sources process primary sources. There are different examples of secondary sources and some of them are; book reviews, popular magazines, newspapers, articles obtained in scholar reviews which discuss other people’s original work. The main difference between the secondary source and primary source is that secondary sources are derived from the primary sources and are not original work of the person reviewing them.
General sources
These are types of sources that generally organize and digest other sources. The main difference between general sources and other types of sources is that the general sources are used to organize and locate primary and secondary sources ( Oregon State University, 2016) . The general sources are not original or firsthand information while primary sources offer firsthand information. Examples of general sources are indexes, fact books, almanacs and many more.
| Primary sources | Secondary sources | General sources |
| They are original and firsthand works | Are not first-hand and describe, analyze, summarize, interpret, or evaluate primary sources | They organize and digest other sources. |
| Examples include eye witness accounts, audio, and video recordings, results from experiments undertaken, speeches, interviews and more. | Examples include; book reviews, popular magazines, newspapers, and more. | Examples are indexes, fact books, and almanacs. |
| Collects fresh data | Use data already collected in primary sources | May use data already collected in secondary or primary source |
Why Use primary Sources
It is very important that the researches use primary sources when conducting a thorough review of literature, for example, psychology literature. This is because it will help the researcher to relate to various events in the research in a personal way. This means that they will be in a position to understand the events deeply from the firsthand information created. The other reason is that the primary source provides raw information firsthand ( Library of Congress. (2020) . This implies that there will be a high rate of accuracy and reduced errors that might be obtained from works that have been doctored by other people. There is no second-hand information and this brings unique originality.
References
Oregon State University. (2016, August 30). LibGuides: Biographical information: General sources. Home - LibGuides at Oregon State University. Retrieved from https://guides.library.oregonstate.edu/c.php?g=285874&p=1906360
Library of Congress. (2020). Why use primary sources? Library of Congress. Retrieved from https://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/whyuse.html
Santiago Canyon College. (2020). Identifying primary and secondary resources. Retrieved from https://sccollege.edu/Library/Pages/primarysources.aspx
