Lesson 4 OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION

1. Aside from indigenous, library, and internet sources, where do you get information?
2. What are the unique characteristics of these sources?
3. Are they as reliable as the previously discussed sources?
4. Do you find convenience in using these as your references?

The previous lessons discussed the primary sources of information #indigenous, or sources exclusively
shared by groups of people, library, which are found in forms of different printed materials, and the
internet, which is a virtual source of mostly all kinds of information. However, it cannot be disregarded
that aside from these, there are other sources of information that are available for the researcher
consumption.

Other sources are based on the level of information sources- primary, secondary, and tertiary.

It is important to clarify though, that the previously discussed sources are also part of these levels.

PRIMARY, SECONDARY AND TERTIARY SOURCES

Primary sources

Primary sources are original. Meaning, these sources are not filtered, interpreted, or evaluated yet.
These sources are raw, freshly coming from a discovery, a new study, and others. Here are some
examples:

1. Artifacts- coins, plants specimens, fossils, furniture, tools, clothing, all from the time under
study.
2. Audio recordings- recordings of radio programs.
3. Diaries –personal experiences.
4. Internet communication-e-mail conversation.
5. Interviews-may be though oral histories, telephone, e-mail.
6. Letters-may be a snail mail or e-mail.
7. Photographs
8. Speeches
9. Video recordings- television programs
10. Works of art, architecture, literature, and music-paintings, sculptures, musical scores, buildings,
novels, poems.

Secondary sources

These are the interpreted and evaluated versions of the primary sources. Secondary sources are
inclined to commentaries and discussions about primary sources, and therefore, not considered
evidences. Here are some examples:
1. Biography- life story of another person
2. Commentaries, criticism
3. Histories
 Tertiary sources
This kind of source is a collection of primary and secondary sources. Some of the examples
are:
1. Almanacs
2. Biography (also considered secondary)
3. Dictionaries and Encyclopedias (also considered secondary)
4. Directories
5. Fact books
6. Guide books
7. Manuals

Popular and Scholarly sources

In getting information, it is important to identify whether it is popular or scholarly. These two

are different in terms of several factors. Generally, though popular sources are information that
are known by the general information seekers. Meaning, these are information that are phrased
in a way that people from different walks of life will understand. For example, everyone knows
that the sun is the center of the solar system, and is a star. That knowledge is shared by mostly
everyone, and no one doubts it.

On the other hand, scholarly sources present information that are more In-depth and specific,
which are designed to be understood by experts. This kind of source includes terms that are only
understood by particular fields. If someone wants to know more about the sun, he or she must
also be aware of terms like corona and solar flares. These are known to everyone, back to
astronomers who specialize in such study, these terms are known profoundly.

These sources of information may not be classified based on the previous discussions, but their
importance and relevance cannot be disregarded. All acquired information are important, as
long as the sources are valid and reliable.