How distinguish between primary and secondary sources?

• A. Secondary sources are original records.
• B. Primary sources are derived from other sources.
• C. Primary sources are original records; secondary sources interpret or analyze them.
• D. Primary sources are never used in research.

Answer: (C)

Primary sources are original records created at the time of an event or by someone who experienced it, providing direct, firsthand evidence. Secondary sources, on the other hand, interpret, analyze, or summarize those original records. The statement that primary sources are original records and secondary sources interpret or analyze them captures this essential distinction.

That’s why this option is the best: it states both parts clearly—the original nature of primary sources and the analytical role of secondary sources. The other ideas mix up the relationship: secondary sources aren’t the original records, primary sources aren’t simply derived from other sources, and primary sources are indeed used in research as the foundational evidence researchers analyze.