Fiducia TogetherPrimary and secondary sources
Evidence made at the time, and accounts made later from it.
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.
What it is
A primary source was produced at the time by someone present. A secondary source was created later, usually drawing on primary ones.
Where it applies
History, geography fieldwork, sociology, media and coursework in most subjects.
How it works
The line depends on the enquiry, not the object. A 1950s textbook is a secondary source about the Tudors and a primary source about 1950s attitudes to them.
Secondary sources are not inferior — they have hindsight, wider evidence and analysis.
How to use it in your work
Say what KIND of source it is for THIS enquiry, and justify it.
In fieldwork, primary data is what you collected. Questions ask you to justify using both.
Where to get help
Your teacher and your board's specification and mark scheme.
Revise this with a song
These are ours. We write revision songs because a lot of people remember a tune when they cannot remember a page, and because revising out loud in the kitchen beats staring at a highlighter.
- The History Song The GCSE history topics, set to music.
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.