2 Define the distinctions between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources in a secondary search.

The best way to distinct between the sources of secondary research is to define each. Primary sources are those that are direct and un-interpreted records of a subject that you are researching. A primary source can be just about anything such as books, artifacts, or even patents. Secondary sources are ones that build on primary sources. Analyzing, interpreting, and assessing primary information are examples of secondary. Tertiary sources are ones which present summaries of the current state of research topics. Some examples are dictionaries, web sites, or almanacs. The distinction between these can differ between subjects of research. If the subject for research was humanities then an example of a primary source would be letters by Martin Luther King. A secondary source could be a web site of his writings and finally the tertiary source could be an encyclopedia on the civil rights movement.

3 What problems of secondary data quality must researchers face? How can they deal with them?
Using secondary data can sometimes cause problems. Although it can be quicker and sometimes cost effective there is always a chance of running in to these issues. The most cautious of these issues the researcher must be aware of is the reliability of the source. If the researcher were to sit in a meeting and take notes of a subject then they would be completely sure of the content of the notes and to the validity of the notes taken. If the same researcher was given secondary data then they are taking someone else’s word that that data is correct. Although the information could be of great importance the validity of the data will always come into question. A way for a researcher to deal with the validity issue is to prove the validity of the source. It can become a very