Here's a breakdown:
Primary Source:
* Directly created by the person or event being studied. Examples include:
* Diaries, letters, and journals: Personal accounts of events and experiences.
* Autobiographies and memoirs: First-hand accounts of a person's life.
* Original research articles: Reports of scientific experiments, surveys, or other original research.
* Government documents: Official records, laws, and regulations.
* Literary works: Novels, poems, plays, and other creative works that offer insights into a particular time or culture.
Secondary Source:
* Analyzes, interprets, or discusses primary sources. Examples include:
* Biographies: Accounts of someone's life written by someone else.
* Textbooks: Summarize and interpret information from primary sources.
* Historical analyses: Interpretations of historical events based on primary sources.
* Critical essays: Analyses of literary works or other creative works.
* News articles: Reports on current events based on information gathered from primary sources.
It's important to consider the author and purpose of the book.
* If the author was directly involved in the event being studied, the book is likely a primary source.
* If the author is analyzing or interpreting information from other sources, the book is likely a secondary source.
For example:
* A book by a soldier about their experiences in a war would be a primary source.
* A book by a historian analyzing the causes of a war would be a secondary source.
Ultimately, it's up to you to determine whether a book is a primary or secondary source based on its context and purpose.