Wikipedia:Identifying and using primary sources: Difference between revisions
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However, Wikipedia fairly often writes about current events. As a result, an event may happen on Monday afternoon, may be written about in Tuesday morning's newspapers, and may be added to Wikipedia just minutes later. Some editors—especially those with no training in historiography—incorrectly call these newspaper articles "secondary sources".
These kinds of media reports are primary sources:
* ''Eyewitness news:'' The television [[news presenter]] stands in front of a burning house and describes the fire. The newspaper journalist describes the scene of a major car wreck that his editor sent him to.
* ''Breaking news:'' The wire service announces that a prominent politician has been taken to the hospital. The weather service says that a tornado has touched down.
* ''Reports on events:'' The newspaper journalist describes the discussions from a meeting of the local school agency. The radio announcer reports the arrest of an alleged criminal.
* ''Human interest stories:'' The magazine publishes a touching story about a child with a congenital heart defect. The society column in the newspaper reports the birthday of a prominent local citizen.
These kinds of media reports are usually secondary sources:
* ''Historical reports:'' A special television program is broadcast to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of [[World War II]]. A newspaper column lists the events reported in that newspaper on the same date from 25, 50, 75, and 100 years before.
* ''Analytical reports:'' The newspaper publishes a week-long series of articles on health care systems in the nation. This is not merely a piece that provides one or two comments from someone who is labeled an "analyst" in the source, but is a major work that collects, compares, and analyzes information.
* ''Book reviews:'' Book reviews are generally secondary sources if they provide information beyond a basic description of the book's contents.
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