Southwest Airlines Professional Communications Certification Practice Exam

Which of the following is an example of a secondary source?

1. Original research article

2. Biography

3. Statistical data

4. Documentary film

The correct answer is: Biography

A biography serves as an example of a secondary source because it interprets, analyzes, and summarizes information from primary sources. In this context, primary sources are original documents or firsthand accounts, such as letters, original research articles, or interviews. Biographies compile and present insights and information about a person's life based on these original materials, making them secondary in nature. Other options represent sources that are classified differently. Original research articles provide new findings and data directly from the research itself, thus serving as primary sources. Statistical data often falls under primary sources when it originates from surveys or experiments, as it represents first-hand collected information. Documentary films can be primary sources if they present original content or direct accounts; however, if they are analyzing or commenting on existing subjects or original materials, they could also be secondary. In contrast, a biography is definitively categorized as secondary since it provides a narrative based on the interpretation of various primary sources rather than presenting new, firsthand information.