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?
Incorrect.
This is analyzing and interpreting data from a secondary source.
Correct.
This is analyzing and interpreting data from a secondary source.
An interview with two homeless persons in your town?
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.
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?
Incorrect.
This is analyzing and interpreting data from a 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"?
Incorrect.
This is analyzing and interpreting data from a 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?
Incorrect.
This is analyzing and interpreting data from a 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"?
Incorrect.
This is analyzing and interpreting data from a 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?
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.
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?
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.
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.
