What is the difference between a primary source and a secondary source?

• A. Secondary sources interpret primary materials
• B. Primary sources are original materials; Secondary sources analyze or interpret primary sources
• C. Primary sources are always biased
• D. There is no difference between primary and secondary sources

Answer: (B)

Distinguishing primary sources from secondary sources helps you understand the type of evidence you’re using. Primary sources are original materials created during the time of the event or by people who witnessed it, offering firsthand evidence—diaries, official records, photos, artifacts. Secondary sources analyze or interpret those primary materials, providing context and evaluation—textbooks, scholarly articles, documentaries. Therefore, the best answer states that primary sources are original materials and secondary sources analyze or interpret those originals. The other statements either miss the original-material part, imply bias as a defining feature, or deny any difference between the two.