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Buena Vista University

ENGL260: British Literature

This guide covers concepts and resources needed to successfully complete the research paper for this course.

Places to locate primary sources

Places to find secondary sources

Secondary sources will have some analysis and interpretation, but are based on PRIMARY sources.   

Not every source you locate with these collections below will be secondary sources, but the majority should be secondary.

BVU Discovery Search

Places to find tertiary sources

Tertiary sources condense the information to its generally accepted facts--or at least what the experts agree amongst themselves is "common knowledge."  This is the place to begin researching your idea to get a sense for

  • Important search terms
  • Important people and their contributions
  • Basic facts and order of events
  • A list of secondary sources to consult, often presented as "Further Reading."

Search terms to help you locate primary, secondary, or tertiary sources

Words that help you identify primary, secondary, and tertiary sources

Primary Secondary Tertiary
Autobiography Biography Encyclopedia
Correspondence / Letters Analysis Almanac
Speeches Dissertations Chronologies / Timelines
Diaries   Dictionary
Interviews    
Personal narratives    
Archives    

Watch for these words in titles, subject headings or descriptions of material you consult--both books and articles.  These words will indicate if the source is primary, secondary, or tertiary.