Onward Odyssey ENGL 100: A Sense of Place (Fall 2024) : Secondary Sources
Secondary Sources
Secondary sources provides interpretation or analysis of primary source information. They often use multiple sources of information, and are a great way to get background information about a topic.
Example Topic: Garver Feed Mill
Let's use a local example: Garver Feed Mill
Using Google, we found a newspaper article providing detailed information about it's history and renovation. Let's use this to begin our research!
Article Title: Within the Sugar Castle: Exploring the ruins of Madison’s Garver Feed Mill
Paragraph from article: "A designated Madison landmark since March 7, 1994, the imposing brick structure stands as an ode to Madison’s agricultural history. Dubbed the “Sugar Castle” by the city of Madison, the sprawling factory was constructed in 1906 as a beet sugar processing facility by the United States Sugar Company. The facility was one of Madison’s largest employers, and at the time it was the largest factory in the state of Wisconsin."
This article gives us ideas about how to continue our research. We can search in the below locations for further information about:
- Garver Feed Mill
- Beet sugar processing
- United States Sugar Company
- 'Sugar Castle'
Newspapers
Newspaper articles can provide information about a major event at a location, the opening or unveiling of a landmark, or a history of a location/landmark. They may include quotations from local residents or city officials about the location.
Newspaper articles can be primary or secondary sources. If the article is reporting on a current event, it is a primary source. If it provides an analysis of events that happened in the past, it is a secondary source.
Books About Local Landmarks
Books are secondary sources that often provide background, historical, and comprehensive information about a topic. Some of Madison's most prominent landmarks (for example, the Wisconsin Capitol Building) may have books entirely devoted to their history!
Books generally about the city of Madison may have chapters or several pages about streets and lesser known landmarks. Check the chapter titles or appendix to locate a chapter about your topic!
