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Potomac State College

BIOL 117 Research Guide: Finding Secondary Sources

How to find primary and secondary sources and format citations for a lab report on plant nutrient deficiencies.

What is a secondary source?

Adapted from:  Horst RK, editor. 1979. Westcott’s plant disease handbook. 4th ed. New York (NY): Van Nostrand Reinhold Company. p. 711.

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SECONDARY SOURCE MATERIALS

  • Describe or analyze content from original materials (primary sources)
  • Summarize or interpret first-hand evidence or account
  • One step removed from the original
  • Created later by someone who was not there

Examples:  most books, magazines, encyclopedia entries, textbooks, biographies, commentaries, essays

Find books and other secondary sources HERE:

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