Primary Sources: Relevance & Evaluation - Essay Sample

Introduction

Primary sources are the original pieces, first-hand sources of information. In this case, the authors provide a record or information about events they witness or take part in. Some primary sources of data include; personal diaries, letters, or recordings made during a piece of study (Brand-Gruwel & Stadtler, 2011). The authors need to maintain their relevance when recording primary data in that they do not allow them to get influenced by external factors. As a reader, when doing the evaluation, it is crucial to consider some factors to ascertain the relevance of primary material. It is critical to consider the author and the audience, the person who wrote the content, the information passed, and its significance to the target audience. Every written material has some logic; it is essential to explore the authors' thesis and connect with what they are presenting. Evaluators should consider the frame of the reference, ascertaining how the ideas proposed in the source compare to what is happening in the current age. It is crucial to consider the relation of the source to others, whether the primary source provides the actual first-hand information or it biased in any way.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Evaluating Secondary Sources

Secondary sources rely on primary sources. The authors use information in the primary sources to support their thesis. Secondary materials interpret, assess, and analyze primary sources. When assessing the sources, it is crucial to consider the structure of the source, how well it is, and its relevance. It is essential to check on the authors' arguments to ascertain how well they have developed. Evaluators should consider materials applied, the primary sources used, and how best they apply. Primary sources used in secondary content should be relevant for it to make sense. It is vital to ascertain the motive of the author; to discover what pushes the author to write.

Compare and Contrast Primary and Secondary Sources

Evaluating both primary and secondary sources might have some similarities in that in both, it is crucial to understand the authors, their motives, and the messages they intend to pass. Before reading or listening to a material, the audience is always interested in understanding what the developers need to pass (Watson, 2013). The two evaluations differ in that; the primary sources are a direct source of data; hence during the assessment, it is essential to consider whether they use other materials in any way. On the other hand, evaluating secondary content is not strict because they can borrow from primary sources.

Identify Research Methods

Some of the research methods that I can use in collecting my information include; experiments, doing interviews, administering questionnaires, doing direct observation, taking recordings and photographs, and reading from secondary materials such as books. Some of the primary sources, such as observation and making recordings, can be so crucial to my research since I'll get the first-hand information directly from the source. The secondary materials are equally important because they will provide additional information to my research. They can also help me in making comparisons.

Other Criteria

I can also opt to use personality tests such as self-report inventories and projective tests to undertake an evaluation of personality psychology. One of a method used in self-report inventories is MMPI that checks on clinical profile of individuals through posing true or false questions (Watson, 2019).

References

Brand-Gruwel, S., & Stadtler, M. (2011). Solving information-based problems: Evaluating sources and information. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2010.02.008

Watson, D. (2019). 16.2 Personality Assessment. Introduction to Psychology. Retrieved from https://openpress.usask.ca/introductiontopsychology/chapter/personality-assessment/

Watson, K. A. (2013). Evaluating primary and secondary sources. Bangladesh: Asia Pacific.