annoted biblography

ENG125: Introduction to Literature

Primary and Secondary Sources

Primary Source

The term primary source refers to

• Original documents: Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news

film footage, autobiographies, official records, etc.

• Creative works: Poetry, drama, novels, music, art, etc.

The primary source is the story, poems, or play you choose to write about. Please see the

List of Literary Works to choose a primary source. The source must come from this list.

Examples of primary sources:

• The United States Constitution.

• Letters written by President Harry Truman when he was in office.

• The Diary of Anne Frank, experiences of a Jewish family during World War II.

• The Metamorphosis, a short story by Franz Kafka.

Secondary Source

Secondary sources are publications like textbooks, magazine articles, histories, criticisms,

commentaries, encyclopedias, etc.

Examples of secondary sources include:

• A journal/magazine article that interprets and offers analysis of a literary work.

• The biography of an author that includes references.

• A historical account of the author’s time period and era that includes references.

The two sources you locate must be academic sources and come from peer-reviewed

journals or other scholarly publications. The library staff, being familiar with this course,

can help you find these two sources. These sources can offer commentary on your story,

or highlight the function of literary elements.