PSY 360: Psychopathology

Primary Sources

Primary sources are typically defined as documents or objects written or created during the time under study.  In history, then, a primary document could be a journal from the Civil War or a newspaper article from that time period.


In psychology, primary sources use the same definition.  They typically are in the following formats:

  • Journal articles that report NEW research or findings - typically follow the format of Literature Review, Methods, Results, Discussion
  • Empirical data or studies
  • Interviews
  • Questionnaires & the resulting data
  • Observation data
  • Lab measurements

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources are works that interpret and analyze primary sources; they are more removed from the event. 

In psychology, secondary sources are usually in the following formats:

  • Journal articles which interpret or review previous findings (often have "review" in the title)
  • Methodological criticism
  • Theory