Which statement is true about primary and secondary sources?

• A. Primary sources present original information; secondary sources interpret or analyze them
• B. Primary sources are always more credible than secondary sources
• C. Secondary sources are original experiments
• D. Primary sources are always published after 1900

Answer: (A)

Understanding the difference between primary and secondary sources hinges on originality versus interpretation. Primary sources contain original, firsthand information created at the time of the event or from original research—diaries, original data, letters, official records, or the first report of a finding. Secondary sources interpret, analyze, or synthesize those originals—think review articles, textbooks, or historical analyses that discuss or evaluate primary materials. The statement that primary sources present original information while secondary sources interpret or analyze them captures this essential distinction. It explains why a diary or a research report is primary, while a piece that discusses or summarizes those materials is secondary. This distinction isn’t about credibility or time alone: credibility depends on the quality of the individual source, and primary sources can exist long before or after 1900, but they are defined by originality, not by publication date or inherent superiority over secondary sources.