Exercise 6: Writing Exercises, Primary and Secondary Sources

You're writing a research paper on the problem of homelessness in your town or city. Which of the following sources would be a primary source for you and which a secondary?

A report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: "Drifting Apart: New Findings on Growing Income Disparities Between the Rich, the Poor, and the Middle Class," 1990?

Question 1: Primary source

Incorrect.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a secondary source.

Question 1: Secondary source

Correct.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a secondary source.

An interview with two homeless persons in your town?

Question 2: Primary source

Correct.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a primary source, because these sources have first-hand knowledge of or raw data on your topic.

Question 2: Secondary source

Incorrect.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a primary source, because these sources have first-hand knowledge of or raw data on your topic.

A book entitled "The Undeserving Poor: From the War on Poverty to the War on Welfare," by Michael Katz, 1989?

Question 3: Primary Source

Incorrect.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a secondary source.

Question 3: Secondary source

Correct.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a secondary source.

An article entitled, "The Culture of Poverty," in" On Understanding Poverty: Perspectives from the Social Sciences"?

Question 4: Primary source

Incorrect.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a secondary source.

Question 4: Secondary source

Correct.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a secondary source.

An interview with a sociology professor who teaches a course that explores the problem of homelessness?

Question 5: Primary source

Incorrect.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a secondary source.

Question 5: Secondary source

Correct.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a secondary source.

A book by Karl Marx entitled, "Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, 1887"?

Question 6: Primary source

Incorrect.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a secondary source.

Question 6: Secondary source

Correct.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a secondary source.

Statistics on the number of homeless in New York state from the state census office?

Question 7: Primary source

Correct.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a primary source, because these sources have first-hand knowledge of or raw data on your topic.

Question 7: Secondary source

Incorrect.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a primary source, because these sources have first-hand knowledge of or raw data on your topic.

An interview with the head of a homeless shelter?

Question 8: Primary source

Correct.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a primary source, because these sources have first-hand knowledge of or raw data on your topic.

Question 8: Secondary source

Incorrect.

This is analyzing and interpreting data from a primary source, because these sources have first-hand knowledge of or raw data on your topic.

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Exercise 6: Writing Exercises, Primary and Secondary Sources

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