Primary vs Secondary Literature
Primary vs. Secondary Literature
The health sciences literature may be classified into two broad categories:
-
Primary-the authors of the article actually conducted the research that is being reported on; it is first hand information.
- Secondary-the authors of the article are not the persons who conducted the research; it is second hand information
|
TYPE OF EVIDENCE |
DESCRIPTION |
PRIMARY OR SECONDARY |
|
Case study |
Describes one individual or event
|
Primary |
|
Research article |
Describes one study
|
Primary |
|
Review article |
Summarizes many individual research studies |
Secondary |
|
Article published in a “journal of secondary publication” |
Summarizes and provides commentary on a research or review article |
Secondary |
|
Evidence summary |
An appraisal and summary of the evidence on a clinical topic, usually carried out by an board of experts and intended for point of care use.
|
Secondary |
|
Clinical Practice Guideline |
A consensus statement by a professional organization, based on evidence, that provides recommendations for patient care |
Secondary |
Other types of content in a scholarly health sciences journal
Besides the types of sources we've already discussed there are other types of secondary, non peer reviewed sources that appear in peer review, scholarly journals. This video will provide more information:
(2010). Table of Contents. Age and Ageing, 39(4). Retrieved from http://ageing.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/issue_pdf/toc_pdf/39/4.pdf
Used by permission from Oxford University Press.
If you want to learn more about the other types of articles that appear in scholarly publications, look
here Links to an external site.:
This chart summarizes information about other types of articles that may appear in scholarly/peer-reviewed journals.
Note that all of these source types are secondary.
|
Material |
Coverage |
Authorship |
Item Itself is Peer Reviewed |
|
Editorials
|
Views or opinions of an individual or editorial board |
Individuals authors or editorial board |
No |
|
Commentaries |
A viewpoint, insight or response to another author's writing or an event |
Often experts on the topic; some journals invite experts to comment on other author's articles |
No |
|
Book Reviews |
Evaluates a book |
Other authors, scholars, journalists |
No |
|
Letters |
Reader response to recently published articles |
Individual readers |
No |
|
News items |
Brief summaries on topics of interest |
Often unsigned |
No |