What are Secondary Sources?
Secondary Sources = Analysis and Interpretation
- Most often, works published by scholars specializing in the subject. Secondary literature is most often published as journal articles or books.
- Interprets, analyzes, or summarizes information from primary sources rather than providing first-hand evidence.
- Purpose is to explain, evaluate, or draw conclusions about primary sources.
- Often created later, after the event.
Finding Articles
For your assignment, you will need to find a scholarly article to use as your secondary source. JSTOR is a great database to start with - please read the directions located under the JSTOR link!
-
JSTOR This link opens in a new windowAccess full text of journal articles (not including the most recent 2-6 years) as well as books and book chapters in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences.
JSTOR Directions:
- Once in JSTOR, click on Advanced Search.
-On the Advanced Search screen under "Item Type", check article.
-Enter your search terms into the search boxes.
-
America: History and Life This link opens in a new windowJournal articles, book reviews and other secondary sources written by professional historians. Covers the history of the United States and Canada. Check the "Peer Reviewed" box on the opening search screen to limit to scholarly, peer reviewed articles.
Finding Books
Limit your search to USC Libraries for ebooks and print books available to you as a student on the Columbia campus. Searching in PASCAL Delivers will show you print books that you can request from other schools in South Carolina.
-
Find It @ USC LibrariesSearch for articles, books, and more or limit to USC Libraries collection.
Search Tips & Strategies: Constructing Your Search
Library resources like Find It @ USC and article databases search best by using keywords that describe the most important concepts in your research question.
What are the most important concepts in your research question? What terms can you use to describe the concepts?
Thinking through this process will provide you with a list of keywords that you can use when beginning to search Find It @ USC, article databases, as well as other library resources.
|
AND |
AND narrows your search by telling Find It @ USC, article databases, or other library resources that ALL keywords must be found in a source in order for it appear in your results |
| OR |
OR broadens your search by telling Find It @ USC, article databases, or other library resources that ANY keywords much be found in a source in order for it to appear in your results. This is a great option for searching synonyms or related terms. Example: nineteenth amendment, 19th amendment, suffrage |
| * |
This is a truncation symbol that will broaden your search by including various word endings. female* will search for female as well as females
|
Here is an example of how to construct a search in Find It @ USC Advanced Search or article databases:
