Using Primary & Secondary Sources (DP IB Extended Essay): Revision Note

What counts as primary or secondary evidence?

Defining primary sources

• Primary research—the process of gathering original data first-hand through methods such as experiments, interviews or surveys

• Primary sources—original data,texts, or artefacts that provide direct evidence about a topic

  • Examples include field notes, raw data from experiments, artworks and correspondence such as letters or diaries

  • In subjects like Language A, the primary source is the specific novel, poem or script being studied

  • Primary sources are not the same as primary research: you can analyse primary sources (e.g., texts, artworks, datasets) without collecting new data yourself

• Primary research is used when knowledge gaps exist that cannot be filled by looking at existing information alone

• Data collected through primary methods can be quantitative or qualitative

  • Quantitative research—a process that yields statistical data, such as results from experiments or closed surveys

  • Qualitative research—information that reflects personal opinions or perspectives, such as interviews or open—ended questions

Defining secondary sources

• Secondary research—the analysis and interpretation of existing data that has been collected and processed by others

  • A literature review (secondary research) is required for every extended essay, regardless of subject or pathway

• Secondary sources—materials that discuss, interpret or analyse primary evidence

  • Examples include textbooks, academic journal articles, books and critical reviews of literature or music

• Secondary research provides the necessary context—the background circumstances or historical setting—for an investigation

  • It acts as a springboard, showing why a specific investigation is worth doing and providing data for analysis

• Popular websites such as Wikipedia or news articles can provide initial inspiration but should not be the main focus

  • You should follow the citations in these articles to find the original, more reliable sources they refer to

Subject—specific evidence requirements

• Research expectations vary significantly across different subjects. Always check the subject-specific guidance before planning primary data collection—some subjects restrict or prohibit it

• Psychology—essays must be based on secondary sources only, as students are not permitted to collect their own primary data

• History—research typically uses a combination of primary sources, which convey first—hand experience of an event, and secondary sources, which offer interpretations

• Sciences—investigations are often experimental, using primary data from laboratory work alongside secondary data from existing databases

• The Arts—research involves the analysis of primary sources, such as artworks or live performances, integrated with scholarly secondary research

• Social and Cultural Anthropology—essays must be based on existing ethnographic materials, with primary fieldwork only used as a supplement

• If primary data collection isn’t permitted, you can still use other researchers’ primary data (e.g., published datasets) as evidence—your job is to analyse it critically using your subject’s methods