1. Introduction
Primary sources contain original information but are scattered, bulky, and highly technical. This makes it difficult for users, especially students and researchers, to find relevant data directly. Secondary sources have been developed to solve this problem. Secondary sources are created by organising, summarising, indexing, or reviewing primary sources. They act as guides, shortcuts, and interpreters of primary literature. Without them, most of the primary information would remain unknown and unused.2. Meaning of Secondary Sources of Information
Primary sources provide original, firsthand information but are usually vast, scattered, and technical. This makes it difficult for a normal user to read and understand them directly. To overcome this difficulty, secondary sources are created. A secondary source of information is a document based on primary sources. It does not present new or original data. Instead, it summarises, reorganises, interprets, or evaluates the content of primary documents to make them easier to find and use.Secondary sources of information are those that are created from primary sources. They do not contain new knowledge but present existing knowledge in a summarised, interpreted, or reorganised form to help users locate, understand, and use information easily. In other words, secondary sources bridge the bulky world of primary documents and the user’s need for quick, reliable access to information.
3. Characteristics
The key features of secondary sources are:-
• Based on Primary Sources: They cannot exist without primary documents. Example: An abstract journal depends on research papers.
• Condensed and Summarised: They simplify bulky primary literature by providing short summaries or lists. Example: Chemical Abstracts gives summaries of thousands of chemistry articles.
• Organised and Systematic: They arrange scattered information alphabetically, by subject, or chronologically. Example: The Indian National Bibliography systematically arranges all publications of a country.
• Time-Saving: They save users’ time by pointing directly to relevant primary works. Example: Indexes help find articles in journals within seconds.
• Interpretative in Nature: Many secondary sources evaluate or review primary documents. Example: A review article on climate change analysing several research studies.
• Reference-Oriented: They are used for reference and consultation, not continuous reading. Example: Encyclopaedias and dictionaries.
• Regularly Updated: Many secondary sources, like indexes, abstracting services, and yearbooks, are issued periodically.
4. Examples of Secondary Sources of Information
| Category | Explanation | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Indexing and Abstracting Sources | Help in locating primary documents by listing them systematically or providing summaries. | Index Medicus (medical science index), Chemical Abstracts (chemistry), Indian Science Abstracts |
| Bibliographies | Comprehensive lists of books, articles, or documents arranged by subject, author, or date. | Indian National Bibliography, Bibliography of Bibliographies |
| Survey-Type Sources | Present surveys or overviews of selected parts of primary literature, often in simplified form. | Annual Review of Sociology, subject-specific textbooks, monographs, treatises |
| Reference Sources | Provide reference, background facts, definitions, or statistics compiled from primary works. | Encyclopaedia Britannica, Oxford English Dictionary, World Almanack, Who’s Who in India, Statistical Abstract of India |
| Directories | Provide systematic lists of people, organisations, or institutions with details. | Directory of Indian Libraries, University Handbooks |
| Translations | When primary documents are translated into another language, they become secondary for new users. | Russian or Japanese research journals translated into English. |
| Atlases and Maps (Reference Tools) | Provide geographical and spatial information derived from primary surveys and studies. | Oxford Atlas, National Geographic Maps |
5. Importance and Advantages of Secondary Sources of Information
Secondary sources are significant because they guide and interpret primary information. Without them, users would waste enormous time searching through thousands of primary documents. Their importance and advantages can be understood as follows:-
• Make Primary Sources Accessible: Secondary sources organise scattered primary documents and point users directly to them. Finding relevant primary research would be almost impossible without indexes, bibliographies, or abstracts. Example: Chemical Abstracts helps chemists locate thousands of research articles quickly.
• Save Time and Effort: Users need not read every primary document. Secondary sources provide shortcuts by summarising or listing them. They reduce duplication of effort in research. Example: Instead of scanning hundreds of journals, a researcher can consult Indian Science Abstracts to find relevant papers.
• Provide Summarised Knowledge: Many secondary sources condense complex research into more straightforward explanations. This makes information easier for beginners, students, and non-specialists. Example: A textbook explains several research studies in simple language for classroom use.
• Essential for Literature Review: Scholars conduct a literature review before starting a research project. Secondary sources like bibliographies, abstracts, and reviews help them identify what has already been published and where research gaps exist. Example: A Ph.D. student preparing a thesis on digital libraries first consults bibliographies and annual reviews in Library Science.
• Enhance Library and Reference Services: Librarians depend heavily on secondary sources to answer user queries. Tools like encyclopaedias, directories, and yearbooks provide ready reference. Example: To answer a student’s question on Nobel Prize winners, a librarian may use Encyclopaedia Britannica or Who’s Who.
• Keep Users Updated (Current Awareness): Secondary sources like indexes, yearbooks, and abstracting journals are regularly updated. They help scholars keep pace with new publications and developments in their field. Example: Annual Review of Sociology provides a yearly summary of key developments in sociology.
• Educational Value: Secondary sources such as encyclopaedias, textbooks, and dictionaries are indispensable in teaching and learning. They simplify complex subjects and make them understandable for learners. For example, the Oxford English Dictionary and the NCERT textbooks are widely used by students.
• Bridging Function: They form a bridge between bulky primary sources and simplified tertiary sources. This middle position makes them essential in the information cycle. Example: A bibliography (secondary) guides the user to primary books and serves as a reference in tertiary guides.
6. Limitations of Secondary Sources of Information
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• Lack of Originality: They do not provide new knowledge. They only summarise or reorganise what has already been published in primary sources. Example: An encyclopedia entry explains discoveries but does not create new ones.
• Dependence on Primary Sources: They exist only because primary documents exist. If primary sources are incomplete, secondary sources will also be incomplete. Example: An index cannot list books that were never published.
• Errors in Interpretation: While summarising or condensing, mistakes, bias, or oversimplification may occur. Example: A review article may misinterpret an author’s original findings.
• Delay in Availability: Compiling bibliographies, encyclopaedias, or abstracting journals takes time. By the time they are published, some information may already be outdated.
• Costly in Nature: Comprehensive secondary sources like encyclopaedias, directories, or abstracting services are often expensive. Many libraries cannot afford them.
• May Lack Depth: They cannot provide the detailed information needed for advanced research because they condense and summarise. Example: A yearbook may give quick statistics but not complete reports.
7. Role of Secondary Sources in Libraries
Secondary sources are central in libraries because they make primary sources easier to find, understand, and use. Since primary information is scattered and bulky, libraries depend on secondary sources to provide efficient services.-
• Bibliographic Control: Libraries use indexes, abstracts, and bibliographies to keep track of vast amounts of primary literature. Example: The Indian National Bibliography helps libraries list all published books in India.
• Reference Services: Encyclopaedias, dictionaries, and yearbooks are heavily used by librarians to answer users’ factual queries quickly. Example: To provide a quick biography of a Nobel Laureate, the librarian may consult Who’s Who.
• Guidance to Users: Secondary sources direct users to relevant primary documents without wasting time. Example: Chemical Abstracts guides chemists to research papers in thousands of journals.
• Research Support: Researchers rely on abstracts, reviews, and bibliographies to conduct literature surveys and identify research gaps. Example: A Ph.D. scholar uses Indian Science Abstracts to locate relevant research papers.
• Current Awareness Services (CAS) and SDI: Libraries use secondary sources to keep users updated about new developments in their subject areas. Example: Abstracting journals alert researchers to the latest studies.
• Educational Role: Secondary sources like textbooks and encyclopaedias support teaching and learning by simplifying complex primary information. Example: Textbooks in university libraries provide compiled knowledge for students.