A secondary source is one or more steps removed from a primary source and may interpret or analyze a primary source. They are usually written by someone other than the original researcher or author.

• News commentators provide secondary information about particular events.
• After a research study (a primary source) has been published, the research findings are often summarized for a wider audience through articles in magazines and newspapers.
• A literary scholar will publish an article or book analyzing the novel of a particular author.
• Your textbooks contain information gleaned from various sources.
• An encyclopedia presents objective reviews of concepts, events, people, etc.

Your research papers are usually secondary sources, providing critical analysis of a particular topic supported by other secondary sources and/or primary sources.