Inquiry and Research: Differentiating Primary and Secondary Sources (TEKS.ELA.7.12.E)
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Texas 7th Grade ELA › Inquiry and Research: Differentiating Primary and Secondary Sources (TEKS.ELA.7.12.E)
Research topic: The 1900 Galveston Hurricane (Texas). Sources:
- A diary written in September 1900 by a Galveston resident describing the storm and its aftermath.
- A 1995 history book about the hurricane that includes maps and analysis by the author.
- A 2000 museum exhibit brochure that presents selected photographs with captions and curator commentary.
- A 2010 documentary film with a narrator and historians explaining the event, using archival footage.
- The 1901 city engineer's original damage assessment ledger listing addresses and costs.
Which two sources are primary sources for researching the 1900 Galveston hurricane?
Sources 2 and 4
Sources 1 and 2
Sources 1 and 5
Sources 3 and 4
Explanation
Primary sources provide firsthand evidence. The survivor's diary (1) and the original damage ledger (5) were created close to the event by direct participants/officials. The book (2), exhibit brochure (3), and documentary (4) interpret or present information after the fact, so they are secondary.
Research topic: A 2018 experiment testing a new plant fertilizer's effect on tomato growth. Sources:
- The lead scientist's 2018 lab notebook pages with methods and daily notes.
- A 2019 meta-analysis article that reviews and compares many fertilizer studies.
- The team's 2018 peer-reviewed journal article reporting their methods, data, and results.
- A spreadsheet containing the raw plant height measurements collected in 2018.
Which source is a secondary source for this research topic?
Source 1: the lab notebook pages from the original experiment
Source 2: the 2019 meta-analysis reviewing many studies
Source 3: the 2018 journal article reporting the team's own study
Source 4: the raw plant height data spreadsheet
Explanation
Secondary sources analyze or synthesize original research. The meta-analysis (2) reviews many studies. The lab notebook (1), original article (3), and raw data (4) are firsthand records from the experiment and are primary.
Research topic: A 2023 El Paso neighborhood survey about recycling habits (Texas). Sources:
- A table of residents' written survey responses and check-box choices from 2023.
- Audio recordings of two 2023 focus groups discussing barriers to recycling.
- Photographs of the community drop-off site taken by the student research team during data collection in 2023.
- A 2024 local blogger's post summarizing the survey findings and adding personal opinions.
Which source is a secondary source for this topic?
Source 1: the residents' written survey responses
Source 2: the 2023 focus group audio recordings
Source 4: the blogger's summary with personal commentary
Source 3: the photos taken during data collection
Explanation
The blogger's post (4) summarizes and comments on the study, so it is secondary. The written responses (1), focus group audio (2), and photos from data collection (3) are firsthand records, making them primary sources.
Research topic: The first Moon landing in 1969. Sources:
- A recording of the live television broadcast from July 20, 1969.
- A 1995 historian's book that interprets mission documents and explains the landing's political impact.
- Pages from an astronaut's mission log kept during the flight.
- High-resolution photos taken by the astronauts on the Moon.
- An online archive hosting scans of the original mission logs with no added commentary.
Why is Source 2 best classified as a secondary source for researching what happened during the mission?
Because it includes photographs, and pictures are always secondary
Because it was published years after 1969, and age alone makes a source secondary
Because it is in a book format rather than a recording
Because it analyzes and interprets primary documents instead of providing firsthand records
Explanation
Secondary sources interpret or analyze primary evidence. The historian's book (2) examines and explains the mission using primary documents. The broadcast (1), mission log (3), and astronaut photos (4) are firsthand records, and format or age alone does not determine source type.
Topic: The 2004 discovery of a new material in physics Sources:
- A 2004 research article reporting the first isolation and measurements of the material.
- A 2007 review article summarizing many studies published between 2004 and 2007.
- Original 2004 lab data files and graphs from the experiment that first reported the material.
- A 2010 lab notebook from another university attempting to replicate the method.
- A 2004 news report announcing that scientists had discovered a new material.
Which listed source is a secondary source that explains how scientists interpreted the discovery over time?
The 2004 research article reporting the first isolation
The original 2004 lab data files and graphs
The 2007 review article summarizing multiple studies
The 2010 lab notebook from another university
Explanation
A review article synthesizes and interprets many primary studies, so it is secondary. The original article and data are primary, and a later lab's notebook is primary for that lab's replication, not a secondary analysis.
Topic: Visitor experiences at the 2023 State Fair of Texas Sources:
- Anonymous survey responses collected at the gates during the 2023 fair.
- City permit and attendance records for the 2023 event.
- A podcast episode in which a local historian summarizes the fair's history and comments on 2023 trends.
- A family photo album from the 1970s showing opening-day scenes at the fair.
- A public social media post from 2023 in which an attendee shares photos and describes their day.
For a project about what visitors experienced at the 2023 State Fair of Texas, which listed source is NOT a primary source?
The 2023 survey responses collected at the gates
The 2023 city permit and attendance records
The 2023 attendee's public social media post with personal photos
The podcast episode summarizing the fair's history and commenting on 2023
Explanation
The podcast episode analyzes and summarizes (secondary). The survey responses, official 2023 records, and a 2023 attendee's post are firsthand evidence about the 2023 event (primary).