Inquiry and Research: Differentiating Primary and Secondary Sources (TEKS.ELA.8.12.E)

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Texas 8th Grade ELA › Inquiry and Research: Differentiating Primary and Secondary Sources (TEKS.ELA.8.12.E)

Questions 1 - 8
1

Topic: Researching the 1900 Galveston Hurricane. Sources:

  • Source A: Diary entries written in September 1900 by a survivor describing daily conditions in Galveston.
  • Source B: A 2015 journal article analyzing how city planning changed after the storm using archived records.
  • Source C: A 1901 newspaper editorial criticizing relief efforts in Galveston.
  • Source D: A modern museum website page summarizing the hurricane and presenting selected photographs from its collection.
  • Source E: U.S. Weather Bureau telegrams sent to Galveston stations in late August 1900 warning of the storm.

Which set lists all and only the primary sources for this research topic?

A and E only

A, C, and D

A, C, and E

C and D only

Explanation

Primary sources provide firsthand evidence from the time of the event: the survivor's diary (A), the contemporaneous newspaper editorial (C), and the original Weather Bureau telegrams (E). The 2015 article (B) and the museum summary page (D) analyze or curate information, so they are secondary.

2

Topic: Evaluating the effectiveness of a new drought-resistant corn variety tested in 2023 in West Texas. Sources:

  • Source A: A 2023 peer-reviewed field trial report presenting methods and results from Lubbock test plots.
  • Source B: A 2024 review article summarizing findings from many separate studies on drought resistance.
  • Source C: A spreadsheet of raw 2023 soil moisture and yield data collected by the research team.
  • Source D: A textbook chapter explaining plant genetics and breeding strategies.

Which pair are primary sources for this research question?

A and C

A and B

B and D

C and D

Explanation

The field trial report (A) and the raw dataset (C) are original research outputs and thus primary. The review article (B) and textbook chapter (D) synthesize and explain others' work, so they are secondary.

3

Topic: Investigating San Antonio residents' attitudes toward a 2019 public transit plan. Sources:

  • Source A: Anonymous survey responses gathered by the city in 2019.
  • Source B: A 2020 newspaper article summarizing public meetings and including a few quotations from speakers.
  • Source C: A 2018 academic article discussing theories of public engagement in transportation planning.
  • Source D: Audio recordings of 2019 public comment sessions held by the transit authority.

Which choice correctly identifies the primary sources for this study?

A and B only

B and C only

A, B, and D

A and D only

Explanation

The survey responses (A) and the 2019 public comment recordings (D) are firsthand evidence from the study period, so they are primary. The newspaper piece (B) is a secondary synthesis even though it includes quotes, and the 2018 theory article (C) is also secondary.

4

Topic: Exploring Tejano conjunto music in the 1950s Rio Grande Valley. Sources:

  • Source A: 1954 live audio recordings captured at a local dance hall.
  • Source B: A 2001 documentary that uses archival footage and interviews to explain the genre's growth.
  • Source C: A museum catalog entry that describes and interprets a 1950s button accordion from its collection.
  • Source D: A printed poster advertising a 1956 conjunto show.

Which statement correctly classifies one of these sources for this research context?

Source B is a primary source because it includes interviews from musicians.

Source B is a secondary source because it interprets and compiles primary materials to present an analysis.

Source C is a primary source because it describes an original artifact.

Source D is a secondary source because posters are created after events and interpret history.

Explanation

The documentary (B) analyzes and assembles primary materials (footage, interviews), making it secondary. The museum catalog entry (C) is also secondary because it interprets an artifact. The 1954 recordings (A) and the 1956 poster (D) are primary artifacts from the period.

5

Research topic: Daily experiences of people who lived through the 1900 Galveston Hurricane.

Sources:

  1. A diary written in September 1900 by a Galveston resident describing the storm and its aftermath.
  2. A historian's 2001 book that analyzes survivor diaries, newspaper reports, and city records to explain the disaster's impact.
  3. A 1950 newspaper retrospective that summarizes earlier accounts and interviews descendants about the storm.
  4. A 2010 museum exhibit catalog with curated photos and captions about the hurricane.
  5. A 1975 university oral-history recording of an elderly survivor describing their memories of the 1900 storm.

Which TWO sources are BOTH primary sources for this topic?

Sources 2 and 4

Sources 1 and 3

Sources 1 and 5

Sources 3 and 5

Explanation

Primary sources are firsthand accounts from the time or direct testimony. The diary (1) and the survivor's oral history (5) are firsthand evidence. The book (2), the retrospective (3), and the exhibit catalog (4) interpret or compile information, so they are secondary.

6

Research topic: Measuring urban heat in Dallas neighborhoods during the summer of 2023.

Sources:

  1. A student researcher's own 2023 temperature readings collected on the same routes in July afternoons.
  2. A 2022 peer-reviewed review article summarizing decades of urban heat research across U.S. cities.
  3. NASA's raw 2023 thermal satellite image files for Dallas on several July dates.
  4. A 2023 local news article explaining a recent Dallas heat-island study and quoting scientists.
  5. A 2018 earth science textbook chapter on climate and cities.

Which source is a primary source that provides original 2023 temperature data for Dallas and was not created by the student researcher?

Source 3

Source 1

Source 4

Source 2

Explanation

Primary sources provide original data or firsthand evidence. NASA's raw thermal imagery from 2023 (3) is original measurement data not created by the student. The student's own readings (1) are primary but do not meet the "not created by the student" condition. The review (2) and news article (4) are secondary.

7

Research topic: How Texas middle school students felt during the switch to online learning in spring 2020.

Sources:

  1. Anonymous survey responses from Texas middle school students collected in May 2020.
  2. A 2021 scholarly article that analyzes and compares multiple 2020 student surveys from different districts.
  3. A 2020 teacher's blog post describing what their students seemed to feel, based on class observations.
  4. A school-district archive of a 2020 recorded Zoom focus group of eighth graders discussing their feelings.
  5. A 2022 documentary that includes clips of 2020 student interviews plus narration connecting them to national trends.

Which source is secondary for this research question even though it was created in 2020 and sounds like a firsthand perspective?

Source 1

Source 2

Source 4

Source 3

Explanation

Primary sources for this question are students' own words or data (1 and 4). The teacher's 2020 blog (3) interprets students' feelings rather than presenting students' direct testimony, so it is secondary in this context. The 2021 article (2) is also secondary but does not match the timing/clue in the question.

8

Research topic: Symbolism in a 1982 community mural in San Antonio titled "River Stories."

Sources:

  1. The lead artist's 1981 sketchbook pages with notes and thumbnail plans for the mural.
  2. A 2019 museum curator's essay comparing the mural's symbols to local historical events and artifacts.
  3. A high-resolution photograph of the completed 1982 mural taken shortly after it was unveiled.
  4. A 2020 walking-tour brochure that briefly summarizes several murals on the block and provides a map.
  5. A 2021 social media post by a mural assistant recalling paint techniques used during the 1982 project.

Which source is best classified as a secondary source because it analyzes primary materials from the mural?

Source 3

Source 2

Source 5

Source 1

Explanation

The curator's essay (2) interprets and analyzes evidence from the mural and related materials, making it secondary. The sketchbook (1), the 1982 photo (3), and the assistant's firsthand recollection (5) are primary sources; the brochure (4) compiles summaries but does not focus on analysis.