Locating your primary source using your secondary source: Tips on completing the assignment for BIOL 1051 By: Jeanne Hoover
Jun 21, 2015
Locating your primary source using your secondary source:
Tips on completing the assignment for BIOL 1051
By: Jeanne Hoover
Locate your secondary source:
Look in print or online magazines or newspapers. Most websites like CNN have a Science/Technology section.
Find an article that interests you.
Print or save a copy of it to refer to later
I used BBC News –Science and Environment Section
You have your Secondary Source, now what?
Read the article and highlight keywords Look for the name of the journal where the
primary source is published
Look for the names of the primary source article’s authors (if you want that original article).
Look for some key phrases that explain the study This will help you find the exact article OR locate a
different article on a similar topic.
Move to the next slide to see an example from BBC News:
Here are some key ideas to take away from the article:
Primary source is published in Scientific Reports
The study is about a new hybrid grass
The hybrid grass is part lollium perenne and festuca pratensis
Co-author is Kit Macleod
The grass helps reduce run-off
Choose a few keywords to use as search terms.
Here is the full-text of the primary source article
Recap: Find a secondary source through news or magazine
websites. You can also use a database and limit your search results to magazines.
Highlight keywords or ideas from the article
Highlight any author names or publication titles
Use your search terms in an appropriate database to locate the following: The original article (primary source) that your secondary
source talks about
An original article (primary source) on a similar topic