What is a secondary source?
A secondary source is a scholarly discussion based on primary sources. Typically, a secondary source contains original research.
Why should I use secondary sources?
Secondary sources are useful for in-depth analysis of your topic and for learning about scholarly perspectives on your topic. You can use a secondary source as a conversation partner about a topic or you can take the methodology from a secondary source an apply it to a new research question.
What are some examples of secondary sources?
Secondary sources include articles, blogs, books (often called monographs), lectures, podcasts, and scientific reports. Any kind of scholarly liter can be a secondary source.
What is an index or database?
"Database" is a general term for a collection of information that can be searched. An "index" is a specific type of database that contains citations. This means that an index can be searched to find titles and information about sources, although you may have to go elsewhere (like JumboSearch) to obtain the full text of the sources.
This is not an exhaustive list. To find more databases, see the Tisch Databases page or ask your librarian.